Roman's Story

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of three, in Ukraine. I spent a lot of time in hospitals there. Local doctors had insufficient knowledge about T1D. This made my situation more difficult. We had to drive two hours away to a different hospital for treatment. At the age of eleven, my family and I moved to America and started a new life. I began sixth grade with two phrases that I had memorized, “may I use the restroom?” and “may I go to the nurse?” In high school, I joined gymnastics to help me cope with T1D. Until then, I was ashamed and kept it private because I perceived it as a weakness. In the summer of 2018, I visited my family in Ukraine for the first time in five years. The night before my flight back to the United States, I was hospitalized. All of my memories returned. During this time, I learned how important our health and gratitude is. As human beings, we tend to forget to appreciate the things we already have. Before my trip to Ukraine, I had an idea about starting a clothing brand. After my experience there, that’s exactly what I did. I started GTHL(Greater Than Highs & Lows) in order to bring awareness to diabetes and inspire people to overcome their struggles in life through an active lifestyle.

Roman Puriy