Age: 17
Age at T1D diagnosis: 5

It was no surprise to Ellie’s parents when she was diagnosed with T1D at the age of five because both of her parents have T1D and recognized the signs. Ellie’s transition to life with T1D was different from most because of their experiences, and she feels lucky for that. Her mom is even a pediatric Certified Diabetes Educator, and Ellie wants to help make life easier for all people with T1D. She loves science, especially biology, and hopes to one day be involved in the study of genetics. Ellie says, “all I know is that I want to be able to make a difference in someone’s life, to be able to help them so that they don’t spend their life having to take extra care of themselves to stay alive.”