Christine’s Story

My diagnosis with type 1 diabetes happened while I was on a family vacation in Virginia Beach, VA on June 20th, 2000 at the age of 12. I had been experiencing debilitating symptoms for weeks (I had lost 30 lbs, was drinking gallons of Gatorade a day, urinating constantly, and my vision was blurry), but my family, like most, thought it was the flu.

I remember two things about my diagnosis day: my blood sugar was 668, and it was the first time I had ever seen my dad cry. The diagnosis was a huge blow to our family, as there is no family history of the disease, and we had a lot to learn in those first few months before middle school was to start.

Middle school is a hard time to have diabetes, or to be different, really, in any way. I had people who thought that diabetes was contagious; I had friends tell me to take my insulin shots in the bathroom at restaurants, because they thought dosing at the table was “weird”; people laughed when I was the only 12 year old drinking diet soda at pool parties. I didn’t want to face it. I remember telling myself that I didn’t really have to attend any more slumber parties in my lifetime- I would just wait until there was a cure, so I wouldn’t have to take my nighttime NPH in front of people.

Over time, I grew more confident in myself, and found friends and classmates that I could open up around. I realized that ignoring my diabetes would only hurt me in the end, and I became an unapologetic advocate for myself. I started running half marathons and found a love of the outdoors through hiking 14ers that really provided a meditative outlet, away from all of the numbers and stress of a typical day with type 1. I learned the power of saying “no” – to a relative’s homemade dessert I know will ruin my blood sugar for the day, to the extra stress of an all-nighter in grad school, to toxic people and negative relationships. I learned to put me first.

Having diabetes has shifted my whole life’s paradigm, and has funneled my passion for health and wellbeing into a meaningful career in diabetes advocacy.

I am currently the Director of State Government Affairs & Advocacy for the American Diabetes Association, and lead all of our legislative and regulatory priorities for the mountain region. It feels great waking up every day full of purpose and hope, and working towards a future that’s better for everyone living with diabetes today.

When I meet new people, I always tell them I have two full-time jobs: I am a human pancreas, and I advocate for people with diabetes and I strive every day to work myself out of both jobs. Let’s create a future without diabetes, together.

Christine Fallabel