Age: 11
Age at T1D diagnosis: 8

Nicole wants to encourage everyone attending JDRF Children’s Congress—and she hopes to inspire even more people when she’s older. “I want to be a pediatrician or teacher when I grow up. I want to tell other kids with diabetes that it is ok to have diabetes, and that they are still normal, like everyone else,” says Nicole. She has participated in a University of Arizona study, and has walked in the JDRF Walk three years running. She also loves rollerblading (she is especially proud that it only took her two or three days to learn how!). Nicole is extremely hopeful for a cure for TD someday soon. “It would improve the quality of my life, and for those with type 1 diabetes.”