Jessica Tran

I'm walking for a world without type 1 diabetes in Sydney!

this year, i want to advocate for my 11 year old self, who had no idea what was coming when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

for my family, who had to flip our home inside out to adapt overnight. for my parents, who learned how to inject a long glucagon needle deep into my thigh in case they ever had to save their daughter’s life. for the friends who became hyper-aware of my moods, my energy levels, sudden drops in blood sugar, and who learned to be flexible when i had to rush home to get insulin.

for the nurses who met me with warmth every time i showed up at the ER in shambles. for my endo, educator, and dieticians who did everything they could to help me manage this disease.

the support system around me has always been so strong but for a long time, i lacked that support within myself.

i spent most of my diabetic years questioning why i was the only one in my family to get it. i hated people worrying about me, so i ignored it. i made reckless decisions, and it took a drastic toll on my mental health. because even with all the love in the world, it doesn’t erase the fact that this is something you carry for life - and something you fight every single day, often on your own.

but i’ve been rewiring my mind.

“God never gives you an obstacle He knows you can’t overcome.”

over the past year, i’ve been working hard to get back on track and bring my HbA1c down to 7. this is also the first fundraiser i’ve ever opened not just for myself, but for other people living with T1D and for the families & friends living this same rodeo.

the resources we have today are faaaaaar more advanced than what i had access to 16 years ago, and it’s so important that we continue to support ongoing research and care with the hope that one day, this illness will no longer be permanent.

if you’re able to support me on this walk, i’d be super grateful. and if not, i hope you can take a moment to learn a little more about this lifelong condition. one that is far more complex than “not being able to eat sugar” or “having too much sugar in my bloodstream.” and maybe next time you could think twice before asking a diabetic, “should you really be eating that?”

with love,

Jess 

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I'm joining the world's largest type 1 diabetes (T1D) fundraising event for families at Rhodes Foreshore Park this March!

Why? To help raise $1.1 million for life-changing T1D research, and ultimately turn type 1 into type NONE.

T1D can strike anyone at any time, and 8 Australians are diagnosed every day. Diagnosis means a 24/7 fight with no break, and facing an extra 180 decisions a day to remain safe and healthy. 

Please support my walk today.