Sarah Novak

Baltimore, MD

Hi, my name is Sarah Novak and at the age of 10 I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Memorial Day weekend my family participated in an annual tailgate party for the NCAA lacrosse finals which was held at the University of Maryland in 1995. After a day of feeling sluggish, numerous trips to the bathroom, and unable to quench my thirst my mother took charge and purchased a ketone urine test. To our surprise the test resulted in large amounts of ketones present in my body.

I was immediately rushed to my family doctor and then to Johns Hopkins Pediatric Children Center where I spent one week learning how to live a new life. The doctors told me if I had waited one more day I would have been in a diabetic coma.

Today I am 25 years old and an insulin pump user for 14 years. I completed my undergraduate degree in Health Care Management at Towson University in 2006 and I am about to graduate again from Towson University this spring with my master's degree in Health Administration. I am getting married in September 2010 and planning on beginning a family shortly after.

Diabetes has not ruled my life, but rather I have ruled my diabetes. I have focused much of my graduate research on the prevention and intervention programs for type 2 diabetic children. Diabetes is a disease that is continuing to grow among our children's population and needs to end. I'm ready to put an end to diabetes!