Age: 16
Age at T1D diagnosis: 1

Aaron was diagnosed with T1D when he was just 17 months old. Now 16, he has found ways to balance it with the things he loves, like ballroom dancing and software engineering. He is proud to dance competitively and hopes to one day represent the U.S. in world championships.

Aaron helps manage a Facebook support group for Russian-speaking parents of children with T1D, which has more than 8,000 members. In most post-Soviet countries, kids with T1D are considered disabled and aren’t even allowed to participate in sports. Aaron feels incredibly grateful to live in a place where he can manage his diabetes and work toward his dreams.

Aaron is passionate about advancing T1D technology and proudly wears his CGM and insulin pump so that everyone can see them. One of Aaron’s biggest dreams is to help develop an artificial pancreas. He has been learning computer programming to create better systems in the future to make life easier for people with diabetes. After high school, he plans to study math and computer science to work toward these goals.