Alaiza Feitor Ponte

CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes

Alaiza was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at just 13 months old. Thankfully, her diagnosis was caught early, and she was only admitted to the hospital for eight hours. Alaiza does not remember life without diabetes, but her family remembers it clearly. After her diagnosis, life changed dramatically. They went from being a spontaneous family to one that carefully plans, preps, and packs for every outing. Despite having support, the early days were incredibly lonely—an experience that is hard to understand unless you are living it yourself. That is why connections within the T1D community have become so important to their family.

Living with T1D comes with many challenges that others do not see. There are constant pricks, device changes, sleepless nights, and quiet tears while trying to treat low blood sugars in the middle of the night. As a caregiver, it can be especially hard not knowing what a high or low blood sugar feels like, yet always needing to consider glucose levels when Alaiza is upset or overwhelmed. Socially, there is a constant need to advocate for her and educate others who believe diabetes is as simple as “taking insulin.” In reality, it requires thousands of decisions every day, and the stares at her devices can be difficult.

Despite it all, T1D has helped shape Alaiza into a confident, independent, brave, patient, and incredibly loving little girl. She has faced challenges that would overwhelm many adults, and while some days it is hard knowing how much she understands, most days her family feels immense pride. T1D has also opened doors to meaningful connections they would not have otherwise experienced. Alaiza is naturally outgoing, and her parents are in awe of how easily she connects with others.



Alaiza is modeling to raise awareness, inspire confidence, and show that diabetes does not define her.

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