The Elementary Team
Our Teen Team oversees programming for our Fiffles aged 6 to 8
Sunshine Abel, RN, is the proud mother of Sierra and Sailor. She attended her first Friends for Life Conference with her family in 2002, after her daughter Sailor was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was two years old. After attending that conference, Sunshine immediately knew she had found a new family and a new home. It was where kids with type 1 can look around and see other kids just like themselves checking their blood sugars and giving insulin. She then made it her mission to get her whole family involved anyway she could, to give back. Sunshine started volunteering in 2005 and has been working as a nurse and lead HCP in the Friends for Life youth programming since 2006. “To FFL First Timer families: At diagnosis, my husband and I thought what in the world do we do now? How will this disease ever be part of our everyday lives? It turned our lives upside down. Finding CWD and attending that first FFL, we realized this is where our T1D journey begins. It is where we gain knowledge that is golden and given irreplaceable tools to help better manage our lives now that we are living it with type 1. It is where we learn how to better educate those around us in our everyday lives. It’s therapy for ourselves as a parent trying to navigate through the emotions. But most of all, FFL is where we turn to for support when we need it and to give it, to the parent who just can’t get their child’s blood sugar up at 3 am. Having a child with type 1 diabetes makes me feel like I can conquer anything.”
Hannah Klippel was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of eight and attended her first Friends for Life Conference as an elementary attendee just four months later in 2008. Growing up with Friends for Life conferences, she found a second family within the community and has been volunteering with the Elementary Team since 2018. Being a leader on the team is one of the most rewarding experiences for her. She is forever grateful for the support and resources that Children with Diabetes has provided to her and her family. The friendships she has built through CWD feel like family, and she truly can't imagine her life without them!
Kayla Van Eperen is the proud mother of David and one of four siblings—two of whom live with Type 1 Diabetes. She has been part of the Children with Diabetes community and attending Friends for Life Orlando conferences since 2003. Kayla graduated in 2017 from Marquette University with a degrees in Elementary Education and Communication Studies. She currently serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for Friends for Life conferences and is also the Middle School Community Coordinator at Madison Country Day School in Madison, WI. Kayla is thrilled to be one of the Elementary Team leaders—a role she cherishes as it allows her to help foster a supportive environment where elementary-aged children feel seen, included, and supported at Friends for Life.
Kathryn Clawges, RD, MS, CDCES, CPT, is a certified diabetes care and education specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Kathryn is passionate about educating families with type 1 diabetes and being involved in volunteer opportunities to help support this community. Kathryn's hobbies include spending time with her dog's Rocky and Caesar, kayak fishing, and being outdoors with her husband Alex.
Ashley Dasika is excited to be working in the youth program this year after coming to FFL conferences since the age of four when her younger sister was diagnosed at 11 months old. She didn’t wear an orange bracelet for long, though, because a year later, Ashley was diagnosed too at the age five. FFL is something her family looks forward to every summer. Ashley attends Tufts University in Boston, where she founded a Diabetes Link Chapter in addition to recently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, where she interned at Madrid’s Diabetes Association. Ashley loves working with kids and is also a camp counselor at diabetes summer camp. Ashley is really excited to be a part of elementary team again this year!
Rebecca DeLong was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of five. She attended her first conference in 2007 in La Jolla, California, and has been attending conferences all over the country since then. Rebecca cannot thank CWD enough for helping her build life-long friendships and an amazing diabetes community. She is excited to be part of the team this year and give back to the CWD community.
Sophia Helme is a teacher from Sarasota, Florida, and has attended FFL every year since her 2011 T1D diagnosis. It’s her favorite week of the year! Passionate about working with kids, she loves volunteering at FFL to show children they’re not alone in living with diabetes. In her free time, she enjoys working out, shopping, spending time with family and friends, and serving in her church’s youth ministry.
Dan Knox is a classified staff member at a community college living in Tacoma, WA with his fiancé, Alexa. In his spare time, Dan enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and playing Madden. Dan was introduced to Friends for Life through his fiancé, Alexa, who was diagnosed with type 1 in 1997, and has been attending abd volunteering at the conference most of her life.
Céilí Leahy, BSN, RN, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2011 at the age of 10. Six months after diagnosis, she attended her first FFL conference. She became interested in nursing through her diabetes diagnosis. She graduated with her BSN in 2024 and began working as a pediatric ICU/cardiac ICU nurse. Her favorite part of her job is interacting with patients and families and supporting them through difficult times. She is excited to come back to FFL in a volunteer role and share her love with this conference!
Kelly Regan, BSN, RN, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of nine in 2008. She has attended the Friends for Life Conference since 2012 and has made many FFLs over the years! Kelly graduated from George Mason University in 2020 with a degree in Criminology and later obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from George Washington University in December 2024. Kelly now works as an Emergency Department Nurse at the Washington Hospital Center in DC. She is so excited for another great year with the Elementary Team and to see all her FFLs!
Kayla Sachs is from Libertyville, Illinois. She graduated last year from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she received her Bachelor's in Elementary Education. She is currently a 4th-grade elementary teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. Her younger brother Will was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13 months old. Kayla has participated in Friends for Life Orlando for six years and has created so many memories with her new friends. She is very excited to come back to the Elementary Team this year!
Kylee Smith is the sister to Joshua Smith, who was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of three in 2003. From the day Josh was diagnosed, Kylee has always been actively involved with Joshua's diabetes care. Kylee participated as a sibling at the CWD conferences from 2004-2013 and made lifelong friends. Kylee’s family has volunteered for years, and she is excited to get back to volunteering after she took a break to finish her schooling. She has since graduated from the University of North Georgia with a Bachelors in International Affairs and a Masters in Business Administration. She now lives and works in Virginia.
Matthew Van Eperen, JD, has two loved ones with Type 1 and has attended several conferences. Matt graduated from Marquette University in 2017 with a BA in Political Science and minors in International Affairs and German Studies. He then obtained his Law degree, graduating from Marquette in 2020. Matt is currently employed as the Corporate Counsel at a global heavy equipment manufacturer. He is excited to again be with the Elementary Team, helping kids focus on care today for a cure tomorrow, and developing Friends for Life. Matt is the husband to Kayla, father to David, and #1 fan of Taylor Swift.
Lana Vjestica, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, was diagnosed with diabetes when she was four years old. She has been attending Friends for Life conferences since 2008, including Marco Island, Philadelphia, and Falls Church! Lana is studying Communications and Health Sciences at the University of Richmond where she is a sophomore. In her free time, she loves shopping and exploring new places. This marks Lana’s fourth year volunteering at Friends for Life.
Jack Zimmerman was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 12 and attended his first Friends for Life Conference in 2023 in Orlando. As soon as the conference wrapped up he knew he would love to come back for the opportunity to volunteer, and he's so excited to be apart of the elementary team! Jack is currently attending Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Anthropology. Jack hopes to become an endocrinologist specializing in paediatric diabetes, as his own diabetes care team inspired and supported him through his journey. Jack is super excited to help out this year and make friends for life!
Indicates Elementary Team member with diabetes