Age: 12
Age at Diagnosis: 6

Ask Russell what two of his most proud accomplishments are and he will be quick to tell you that they are achieving his Tenderfoot rank in Boy Scouts and serving as a JDRF Youth Ambassador.

Russell has used his role as a Youth Ambassador to spread awareness about T1D within his community by sharing his story. “When I was diagnosed, my family didn’t know much about T1D. Maybe if they had, my diagnosis wouldn’t have been so scary, so I try to spread as much awareness as I can.” Russell plays piano, baseball, soccer, enjoys reading, and recently has gotten into 3D printing. He’s even printed his own insulin pump cases!