Age: 14
Age at T1D diagnosis: 10

Vanessa is preparing to enter high school after being homeschooled for the past two years. She has used her voice and platform to bring awareness about living with type 1 diabetes by speaking about the daily challenges and the toll that it can take on one’s mental health. She continues to serve her community through various projects and organizations while being a student and youth ambassador for Breakthrough T1D. She loves reading books and spending time with her five pets in her free time. She has many aspirations for the future and is very dedicated to excelling.

Vanessa was diagnosed with T1D two weeks after her 10th birthday, which is what motivated her to get involved in giving back to her community. Her message is: “Be kind because you never know what battles people are fighting.”