Age: 15
Age at T1D diagnosis: 10

Zach was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 10. It was very overwhelming as he and his family had never even heard about T1D before. That experience motivated him to help others going through the same thing. When he was discharged from the hospital four days later, he started an Instagram to spread awareness about signs and symptoms, debunk myths, and bring light to other T1Ds and their loved ones.

Zach has never let T1D stop him. In addition to keeping a 4.0 GPA in high school, he is an actor and very active in sports, including taekwondo (where he is currently a brown belt), jiu jitsu, and a defensive tackle on his high school football team. Zach’s life dream is to be an Oscar-award-winning actor and utilize his platform to advocate for and inspire other people living with type 1 diabetes. But, in the meantime, he is honored to be able to raise awareness however he can, and looks forward to sharing his story with Congress and impacting them with the need for research funding, access to insulin, and more.