Diabetes Connections With Stacey Simms | Type 1 Diabetes |

A bonus episode featuring a conversation with top executives at Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Care Companies (parent company of Animas). John Wilson is the Worldwide Vice President, Insulin Delivery and Krishna Venugopalan is the Worldwide Director, Research & Development, Insulin Delivery. They talk to Stacey about the significance of this approval, about Animas's agreement with Dexcom and what's coming next as that company moves forward with the Share, G5 and G6 versions of their CGM. 

Manny Hernandez was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult; he was first misdiagnosed as having type 2. Now with Livongo Health, Manny co-founded Diabetes Hands Foundation in 2007. This week he announced he will return to the Board. Our Community Connection this week is Anja Busse, the girl who started the petition asking American Girl Doll to add diabetes accessories to their wildly popular line. Two weeks ago, they made a diabetes kit available in stores and online. 

An IRONMAN Triathlon includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run, raced in that order and without a break. Add type 1 diabetes to the mix and you've got a challenge few people ever try. In its first year, the Riding on Insulin Endurance program saw 63 athletes complete IRONMAN Wisconsin and raised $125,000 for the group's camps. Stacey talks to T1D IRONMAN Harry Thompson, as well as Michelle Alswager, the group's development director and an IRONMAN herself. Michelle also shares the story of her son, Jesse. Diagnosed in 2000 at age 3, Jesse died ten year later, when he was just 13. All JDRF Rides for the Cure now mark mile 23 for Jesse, and for everyone who's lost a life to type 1 diabetes. 

Wrap up 2015 with a look back at our top episodes of the year. Listen to excerpts from interviews with Nightscout co-creator John Costik, Nightscout Foundation President James Weddington & contributor Kate Farnsworth. You'll hear from Moira McCarthy, the author of Raising Teens with Diabetes, Richard Vaughn, who marked 70 years of living with type 1 this year (he was diagnosed in 1945!) and Dexcom Chief Technical Officer Jorge Valdez. To hear the full interviews - or any of the interviews from 2015 - visit www.diabetes-connections.com/archives/ Happy New Year! -Stacey

Robyn Adams has a son, a husband, and a father-in-law with type 1 diabetes. She's also a Disney Planner and has advice on how to navigate a trip to Disney World (or anywhere) with diabetes. You'll also hear from Rob Myers, organizer of "Running for Ruth." His mother died last year from complications of type 2 diabetes and now he's honoring her memory by raising money to send kids with all types to diabetes camp. Stacey also talks about Diabetes Podcast Week, a project she's organizing for the week of February 1, 2016.

In Type ONEderland, Finding Hope in the Hard Places, Elizabeth Maxon tells the story of the surprises found when life does not go according to plan. Her daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and a thyroid disorder at the age of 5. Stacey also talks with Carolina Panther Kyle Love. Cut by the Patriots two years ago when he was diagnosed with type 2, Love shares the challenges of managing his professional weight (300+ lbs) with managing his diabetes. Stacey also explains why, on his 9 year anniversary of diabetes, her son wants to share an idea called #DFriends.

Author Andrew Deutscher talks about his book, Typecast, Amazing People Overcoming the Chronic Disease of Type 1 Diabetes. It's a look at how some people are able to turn their diagnosis into motivation or inspiration, allowing them to achieve incredible goals. Our Community Connection features Check B4U Drive, a safe driving program aimed at teengers with T1D.  And this week marks nine years since Stacey's son was diagnosed. She explains what she'd go back and tell herself on that day if she had the chance.

Win Jerry! Jerry the Bear is an interactive teaching toy for children with type 1 diabetes and food allergies. Stacey talks to Jerry's inventors, Aaron Horowitz & Hannah Chung who co-founded their company, Sproutel, while still in college. This year they were honored at the White House. Our Community Connection this week focuses on Project Blue November, a grass-roots social media campaign that curates T1D ideas & inspiration. Listen to find out how to enter to win Jerry the Bear (contest closes 12/8/15).

Beyond Type 1 got quite a buzz when they launched earlier this year with their "Living Beyond" Instagram campaign and "The Drop Spotted" on social media. Stacey talks with CEO Sarah Lucas about the ideas behind Beyond Type 1, and finds out how celebrities with diabetes like Sam Talbot and Nick Jonas became co-founders. Sarah's daughter, Mary is the community manager of Beyond Type 1. She shares her story and talks about what the community means to her. 

Diabetes Forecast magazine's Kelly Rawlings shares the American Diabetes Association's message for November. Kelly also talks about how, as someone with T1D, she balances bringing news for and about people with all kinds of diabetes. In our Community Connection, Stacey interviews syndicated radio host Ramona Halloway about her family's struggle with type 2 and her decision to have gastric bypass surgery.

How do you know which insulin pump is right for you or your child? Certified Diabetes Educator Linnet Steinman walks us through the options and gives advice about how to make the best choice based on individual needs. Stacey kicks off Diabetes Awareness Month with info about Diabetes Hands Foundation's The Big Blue Test and JDRF's T1D Looks Like Me campaigns..

When John Costik figured out how to display his son's Dexcom CGM readings on any web-based device, it was a breakthrough that forever changed how we're able to look at diabetes. John talks about the collaboration that followed, leading to Nightscout and CGM in the Cloud. This week's Community Connection is Kent Schnakenberg, who's vowed to take part in every JDRF Ride this year and travel through all 48 continental Unites States. Stacey talks about how her family manages Halloween and explains their strategy has changed through the years.

Dexcom's Chief Technical Officer Jorge Valdez answers questions about their new G5 Mobile CGM, the partnership with Google and what's next for Continuous Glucose Monitoring technology. Stacey also talks about CGM/Medicare legislation in front of Congress. 

American Jeremy Larsen has traveled the world and currently lives in Japan. He started the 70-130 project (the "perfect" blood sugar range) to show that type 1 diabetes shouldn't hold anyone back from travel. Our Community Connection features a family that loves to visit exotic locations and their advice for taking diabetes on the road. 

Speaker & author Moira McCarthy shares an emotional experience from a recent JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes. Moira has been on several JDRF rides but this was the first with her daughter, Lauren (diagnosed T1D at age 6). Stacey also talks to Kady Helme, who works at JDRF and recently took part in an artifical pancreas trial. 

DPAC is a new effort to make it easier for people with diabetes to communicate with policy makers. Co-founder Bennet Dunlap explains how Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition works and how we can all take part. Our Community Connection is with Stacey's cousin, Aaron. He shares his experience at JDRF Children's Congress this summer. 

Worried about alarms she couldn't hear, Dana Lewis and Scott Leibrand "hacked" into the programming of her CGM. What they learned led them to a do-it-yourself closed loop artificial pancreas system that Dana has been using since December 2014 (and which she wore during their wedding in August). We find out how they did it, why they make their methods public and what it may mean for the future of diabetes management. In the Community Connection segment, we hear about LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults). 

Named the 2014 Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, Gary Scheiner answers questions from our social media feeds. Gary is the owner and director of Integrated Diabetes Services and has lived with type 1 since 1985. Also this episode, Stacey shares her frustrations with trying to manage and learn about diabetes while sometimes not knowing even what questions to ask ("not knowing what we don't know").

"A Mile in My Shoes," is a fun, interactive project by diabetes nurse educator and family therapist Joe Solowiejczyk. Joe's been living with type 1 diabetes for 50 years. The Community Connection this week features Will's Way, which helps families with health insurance pay for diabetes supplies. We talk with Lisa, who started the non-profit after her son Will was diagnosed with type 1. This episode features a giveaway for "A Mile in My Shoes." Contest entries close on 9/13/15 at midnight.

Richard Vaughn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1945 at the age of six. This month, he marks 70 years of living with T1D. Vaughn shares how diabetes management and tools have changed over the years and why he thinks he's been able to stay healthy. Our Community Connection features a woman who's also lived a long time with type 1 (40 years) but still encounters some awkward situations. She shares an uncomfortable moment she had while traveling and how she dealt with it.