Age: 15
Age at Diagnosis: 14

Leah was diagnosed with T1D in April of 2022, which she describes as the biggest challenge of her life. Leah hit the ground running after her diagnosis and is committed to using her voice to advocate for the T1D community. Leah is a JDRF Youth Advocacy Leader, and recently started a club for people living with T1D at school. She says that she wants the other students living with T1D to know they are not alone and that they have a support system.

Leah has been a competitive mountain biker since 2019, and has traveled all over the western United States to compete. One of the first people she shared her T1D diagnosis with was her mountain biking coach, who also lives with the disease. Leah’s coach told her that T1D would become her superpower, which Leah had trouble understanding at first. “I’ve reflected on his words a lot, and I’ve realized that T1D will make me stronger both physically and emotionally, and that if I can conquer diabetes, I can conquer anything else that comes my way!”

“Carson City, Las Vegas teens going to Washington, D.C., for JDRF’s Children’s Congress,” Carson Now, June 12, 2023 

“CHS Junior Heads to D.C. for Juvenile Diabetes Meeting,” Nevada Appeal, June 14, 2023