Age: 11
Age at T1D diagnosis: 8

Eileen has grand aspirations—when she grows up, she’d like to become president of the United States, or a police officer. For now, though, she’d just like to find a cure. “A cure for type 1 diabetes is very important to my family and me. It would mean no more taking blood samples each day, no more insets for my pump, no more counting carbohydrates, and no more keeping track of medical supplies. I could live my life free of this disease and just be a normal kid.”

One of Eileen’s top accomplishments is scoring a 600 on the English Language Arts section of the California Standards Test—the first time anyone achieved that score at her school. In addition to writing stories, Eileen loves playing softball, singing, and riding her scooter.