I like to call myself a Type 3 diabetic. No, I don’t have diabetes, but I am an advocate for those who do. I have family and friends with the chronic condition, and I am passionate about supporting researchers to help find a cure.
When I saw the newest study by the CDC report that the death rate among diabetic children and adolescents has fallen by more than 60% since the late 1960s, it gave me the assurance to keep pushing because things really are getting better for young people with this disease. This decline is a direct result of improved treatment, and a decline in complications that result from diabetes, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia. Furthermore, this progress was made despite the fact that there has been an increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in the last three decades.
Type 1 diabetes is largely a juvenile disease, with most being diagnosed before the age of 16. To see the drop in death rates means not only are these children getting better care, but their care takers are better informed on how to care for a diabetic and the children themselves are being more proactive in managing their condition. As a Type 3, I could not wish for better news.