Natalie's story

My name is Natalie Bartos, and my type 1 diagnosis story was a bit scarier than I had even realized at the time. What my parents and I originally had thought was the flu turned out to be a lot more serious than they thought. On Saturday January 19, 2008, I was wheeled into the emergency room - but everything was a blur after that. With a blood sugar level over 700, I was diagnosed being in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). The doctors had told my parents that if they would've waited 1 more day to bring me in, I wouldn't have made it. 

9 years later, I've overcome so many challenges. One of the most important - I refused to let T1D get in the way of my love for running -- I've completed multiple 5k & 6k races during cross country season, as well as off-season, and I'm currently a 200/400m sprinter on the track team at Carson-Newman University. To this day, I am forever grateful to even be alive. I try my hardest to never take a day for granted in this wonderful life God has given me. Living with type 1 has helped me discover my true passion for educating others about this disease. It has inspired me to study Nutrition & Dietetics and work toward my goal of becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator one day. Type 1 diabetes definitely has its ups and downs, but it doesn't stop me from being a diabadass! 

Natalie Bartos