Marissa

From her mom, Karen:

Marissa was diagnosed at six years old in 2013. We started to notice weight loss, fatigue and eventually increased thirst. As an RN myself I put the signs together but was in disbelief. We brought her to her doctor who confirmed my suspicions. I broke down thinking how is Marissa going to handle this at six years old? But from the very moment we told her, she took it all in stride. She learned quickly how to give herself injections, count carbs and eventually do pump site changes. She has been an advocate for type 1 diabetes in her elementary school, starting a go blue for November initiative and later starting a group for kids with type 1 in middle school. Two years ago Marissa was shocked as her little brother Brandon was also diagnosed with type 1. She jumped right in to help him cope with this life changing diagnosis. Without her strength, her little brother wouldn’t have taken the diagnosis as well. Marissa has excelled in school and on stage as the lead roll in her high school plays and musicals, plays seven instruments and will be attending NYU this fall as a history / pre law major. Marissa has aspirations to become a constitutional lawyer, possibly becoming a type 1 advocate and still looking to perform on stage. We look forward to her future as she never lets type 1 hold her back!