Age: 16
Age at T1D diagnosis: 6

Mary has been living with T1D since she was 6 years old. Managing T1D hasn’t always been easy, especially during adolescence, but through the support of her family and experiences like attending ADA Camp Aspire, she has learned to embrace her diagnosis with confidence.

Mary is passionate about raising awareness for a better understanding of T1D. She has used her coursework in the International Baccalaureate program to educate others about the realities of living with diabetes. She even selected her insulin pump as a project artifact to challenge misconceptions about the condition. Her curiosity about diabetes research led her to the University of Rochester’s iGEM program, where she explored how gut microbiota engineering could support insulin production.

Beyond her personal journey, Mary is driven by the bigger picture—the need for better access to diabetes technology and care worldwide. She knows firsthand how life-changing devices like CGMs and insulin pumps can be, but she also recognizes that many people don’t have access to these tools. She believes that research and policy changes are key to making diabetes management safer and more accessible for everyone.