Shannon's Story

I was diagnosed when I was 5 weeks old (yes, you read that correctly). I stopped growing and my mom was induced. At 2 weeks old, I  started showing symptoms: peeing a lot, throwing up etc. The doctor kept saying “I had the flu”. One afternoon, my dad took my siblings and I to the park. Not long after my dad noticed I was staring to to space, red, hot and looked defeated. He brought me home, put me in front of a fan and I had no reaction. My parents then took me to the hospital. So many tests were done and they finally tested my blood...which was 980.  My family had to adapt and change real quick. However, my parents never let my diabetes stop me! I did many sports and was a competitive Irish dancer for 10 years. Currently, I am a special education teacher with a very supportive husband and two beautiful kids. My dream is to become an advocate for Type 1 Diabetics and talk with families who have been affected.

Shannon O’ Brien