Elijah Strange

I was diagnosed with T1 when I was 8 years old and in 3rd grade. I had no idea what was happening to me and had no words to articulate how I was feeling. Luckily, my pediatrician, Dr. Laug, took great care of me and sent me to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for care. When we arrived, a wonderful doctor picked me up and told me everything would be okay. Her name is Carmen Tapiador. For the last twelve years I have gone from being a T1 kid to a T1 young adult under her care and have learned so much about myself and my resilience. She’s been by my side every step of the way. Today, I graduated from her care and am being sent into the big world of adult endocrinology. I know I’ll be okay because of her and because of ETCH. I am equipped. I am healthy. I am ready. (Well, sort of. I’ll miss her so much.) I feel like I can tackle the rest of my life with the T1 universe and will happily mentor those around me and that come after me with T1.