Going away to college can be a huge change for most teenagers. Leaving home while trying to control Type 1 diabetes presents another layer of challenges. To address this issue, University of Massachusetts student Christina Roth started the College Diabetes Network earlier this year, according to an article from the Daily Collegian.
The network, which is a non-profit organization, was launched after Roth found her school didn’t have any resources for students living with Type 1 diabetes. At first, it began as a loose network of diabetics talking to each other, providing tips and support.
It has since expanded to a website and a network of students, parents and other universities. The group now works with administrators at the school on topics such as student meal plans and offerings. The network has already caught on at Harvard University, Pennsylvania State University, Trinity College, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Loyola University in Chicago will soon be a part of the network too.
The network invites speakers to come to campus and firms like Omnipod, Dexcom and Medtronic have taken the opportunity to show off their new technology.
Roth, who hopes to work in a hospital helping kids with Type 1 diabetes, will remain in control of the group after she graduates in 2011. However, she will appoint a successor to run the UMass chapter.
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