Age: 15
Age at T1D diagnosis: 12

Reed is a competitive gymnast and musician who plays guitar and writes his own songs. Since he was diagnosed, there have been ups and down. He says, “In the early stages of my diagnosis, I did not want to admit that I had diabetes; I simply wanted to turn my head and look the other way.” After a few months, his outlook changed: “I had to come to terms with it. I am now physically fit, strong and motivated to stay this way.” Reed is looking forward to his meetings on Capitol Hill to tell Congress his vision for a cure. “We can only reach that goal with the help of Federal funding for more research.”