Age: 17
Age at T1D diagnosis: 6

Carolien is a seasoned field hockey athlete, playing since she was seven years old, and loves to travel whenever she gets the chance. Carolien is also a passionate T1D advocate, and even won an award for helping to develop an app in collaboration with her doctor that matches families that have a child with T1D with a pre-qualified babysitter. Carolien has also participated in JDRF One Walks and various fundraisers to drive T1D research, as well as raise awareness. She’s looking forward to coming to Children’s Congress and speaking about just how important research and advancements in technology are, saying, “I have lived with T1D for as long as I can remember, and I’m able to live a healthier life because of all the advancements that have been made in technology, and it’s critical that this sort of progress is able to continue.”