CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes
Janie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) on November 18, 2009, when she was 15 years old. She remembers that moment as one that turned her world upside down. At an age already filled with uncertainty, the diagnosis felt heavy and isolating. The routines of diabetes management felt overwhelming, and the constant attention required left her feeling unsupported and alone. For many years, she had never even met another person living with T1D, which deepened her sense of confusion and embarrassment.
One of Janie’s biggest challenges has been navigating stigma. She often hears assumptions about what diabetes means and finds herself having to calmly explain that living with diabetes does not define her health, her choices, or her future. Comments about food, lifestyle, or long-term outcomes have required patience and resilience, especially when those assumptions are rooted in misunderstanding.
For a long time, Janie saw diabetes as a curse and hid it from most people in her life. Over time, that perspective shifted. She began to see diabetes as something that motivated her to focus on her health and make intentional choices. It became a grounding force during her teenage years and something she learned to manage with growing confidence. With advances in technology, education, and awareness, diabetes no longer feels like something to hide. While she would choose a cure if one existed, she no longer sees diabetes as a limitation.
Janie is a natural community builder. She brings people together through shared experiences, often centered around food, drawing on her background as a classically trained chef. She also writes poetry and volunteers her time with activism-based groups and music events whenever she can. Creativity, connection, and togetherness are at the heart of everything she does.
Janie is modeling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show to challenge stigma and help change how diabetes is understood. She hopes to remind others that while a diagnosis can feel life changing and overwhelming at first, it does not take away possibility. With time, support, and self-compassion, you can still do anything you set your mind to, and you never have to face it alone.
#PumpCoutureFashionShow #ChangeTheConversation #StopTheStigma
