Leia Schaub 

CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes

Leia was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April 2022, when she was just 4 years old. Because she was diagnosed so young, she doesn’t really remember life before diabetes. In the weeks leading up to her diagnosis, Leia began experiencing excessive thirst, frequent urination, major mood swings, and lethargy. Her family brought her to the doctor, who sent them straight to BC Children’s Hospital. 

Over the next three days, Leia and her family began learning what it would mean to manage diabetes every day. Even in the middle of something so overwhelming, Leia showed incredible strength. Within a week, she was already getting used to finger pokes and multiple daily injections — and adjusting to a brand new reality with bravery beyond her years. 

Like many kids living with type 1 diabetes, Leia’s biggest challenges are often the moments where she just wants to be carefree. She has to ask for permission before eating extra snacks so carbs can be calculated. Sometimes she has to wait to eat when her blood sugar is high. Other times, she has to sit out of activities like PE class when she’s low. Even vacations come with extra challenges, like her insulin pump falling off during beach days, or having to stop and change devices every few days. 

Diabetes has also made Leia resilient. She has learned how to deal with discomfort, and she has become an expert in math at a young age — understanding blood sugar numbers and carb counting in ways most adults never need to. 

Leia loves dancing and cheerleading, and she refuses to let diabetes slow her down. She also loves travelling, and her family continues to explore new places and even visit foreign countries — even though it always requires extra planning, extra supplies, and extra care. 

Leia has attended diabetes family camps three times already, and it has been one of the most meaningful parts of her journey. Camp helped her feel like she truly belongs. She loved hearing other kids’ alarms going off, seeing everyone wearing devices like hers, and making real connections with other kids living with type 1 diabetes. Even though Leia is currently the only (and first) child at her school with type 1 diabetes, camp reminds her that she is never alone. 

Leia is modelling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show to raise awareness, build understanding, and show the world that type 1 diabetes doesn’t stop you from doing what you love — you simply learn to do it with extra strength. 

Her message is hopeful and true: "Having diabetes doesn’t stop you from doing what you want to do. You get used to the extra work, and it gets easier over time." 

#PumpCoutureFashionShow #ChangeTheConversation #StopTheStigma