Jack Eckstrom: 5-year-old diabetes educator

It's funny, for such a little guy, Jack is his own walking, talking, type 1 educator.  I guess at such a young age, not much is taboo.  He doesn't hide his diabetes supplies and really seems to enjoy the attention he receives from all the other kids at school, the playground, and even in a market, when he tests his blood sugar or receives an injection.  I suppose this may change as he reaches the teenage years, but right now he's open to talk to anyone about his disease, how he "got" it (who knows?), why he "got" it (no, not from eating too much sugar), when he will be cured (when Congress and the public provide the resources for some very smart people to invent a cure), and whether the shots hurt (not usually).

Jack's outgoing nature, plus my unstoppable mouth have been our main vehicles of education.  Unfortunately, we're limited right now to our own word-of-mouth.  There have been a couple very high profile legal cases in California recently, however, that are bringing diabetes, particularly type 1, to top-of-mind for most folks.  We all hope that these cases, tragic as they are, and the discussion they are provoking (including the ridiculousness of a new charge of "driving under the influence of insulin") will provide some positives for the diabetes community in the form of increased public awareness and education.