Erinn Paik

CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes

Erinn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 14 months old in June of 1986, so she does not remember life without it. While she was too young to understand her diagnosis, it had a major impact on her family. Fortunately, her mother was also living with type 1 diabetes, so Erinn grew up in a home that was knowledgeable, experienced, and supportive, where diabetes was a part of everyday life.

Living with type 1 diabetes is a lifelong and relentless responsibility, and Erinn’s journey became even more complex when her child was also diagnosed. Managing her own condition while supporting her daughter adds an emotional and mental weight that never goes away. Even with advances in technology that her daughter now has access to, the emotional toll remains heavy. Watching her child face a lifelong condition she knows so well is one of the hardest parts, and it can often feel isolating.

Despite the challenges, diabetes has shaped Erinn into a strong, resilient, and confident person. She has raised four beautiful children while managing this disease and has never allowed diabetes to limit or define her. In many ways, living with type 1 diabetes prepared her to support her daughter with compassion, understanding, and strength. Erinn is passionate about her family and community and volunteers with several local non-profit organizations. To someone newly diagnosed, she would say that even on the hardest days, you will be okay and capable of more than you ever imagined.

Erinn attended D-Camps as a child in the early 1990s, before CGMs and insulin pumps were available. Camp was the first place she felt truly understood and connected to others who shared her experience. Some of her favorite childhood memories come from those camps, and she strongly recommends D-Camps for the education, support, and sense of belonging they offer.

Erinn is modeling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show to raise awareness and show that living with diabetes—whether as a person with T1D or as a parent—does not limit strength, resilience, or possibility.

#PumpCoutureFashionShow #ChangeTheConversation #StopTheStigma