It all started when...

Hi, my name is Jack, and my mission is to help as many kids as I can cope when they are newly diagnosed with Type I diabetes. When I was diagnosed in 2017 it was a really scary time for me and my family. After figuring out what we needed to do to make this diagnosis easier for us, I wanted to put together a box of fun and helpful things that I could share with other kids to make things a little less scary for them. I call it “Jack’s Hope in a Box” because my wish is that it will bring hope to them and their families during this new and scary time, because after all, I’m just a regular kid with a few more responsibilities now. 

I'm 9 years old and live in Wanaque, New Jersey with my Parents and younger brother Timmy. We have a dog Lucky, and cat, Dixie. My parents and brother have been really supportive of me throughout my diagnosis and encouraged me to help give hope to other kids that were in the same position as me. 

Here’s my story of how I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on April 9, 2017. A few days before I was diagnosed, I was sent home from school with a headache and a fever. Over the next few days, I felt worse and worse. Mom took me to the doctor and they thought it might be strep. We also found out that I had lost six pounds since my last check-up in February. I started throwing up so Mom and Dad thought I had a pretty bad stomach virus. By the third day I was so sick and weak and I was breathing really heavy so Mom and Dad rushed me to the emergency room. The ER doctor asked Mom and Dad lots of questions while I sat there. They told the doctor that I had been drinking a LOT of water recently and urinating a lot too. The doctor smelled my breath and said it was very sweet and fruity smelling. The doctor told us that the weakness, weight loss, excessive drinking and urination, vomiting and fruity breath were all classic symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. We had no idea.

The doctor transferred me to Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ. I got to ride in an ambulance which was pretty cool, even though I was feeling so bad. I stayed in the hospital for four days while my Mom and Dad learned how to take care of me. When I realized that I would have Type 1 Diabetes for the rest of my life, I was so scared and sad. I didn’t understand why this was happening to me. I was petrified of the shots and I did not make it easy for my parents as they were learning how to give them to me. Mom reminded me that I was named after my great-grandfather who lost his eyesight during an explosion in World War II. He was an incredibly strong person who picked himself up and made a very successful life for himself even though he was blind. I knew that I could do the same thing. So I made the decision that I was not going to let diabetes hold me back from anything.

This past year has not been easy but I do my best every day to stay positive. Sometimes I get frustrated because I have to be responsible for making sure I always have my diabetes supplies with me everywhere I go. I just want to be a regular kid. Whenever I play sports like soccer and baseball, my blood sugar drops and sometimes I have to sit out until we bring it back up. One time I missed the whole game. My parents are awesome and they know sometimes I just need to get mad, but they always help cheer me back up and support me in everything I do.

My hope is that someday they will find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes and kids won’t have to deal with getting shots every day, pricking their fingers, counting their carbs and worrying about dying. So while I hope for a cure, I thought it would be great to bring hope to other kids just like me through Jack’s Hope in a Box.