On this episode you will hear from Kyle Banks. Kyle is the founder and CEO of Kyler Cares foundation, which focus is on improving health outcomes of people of color living with Type One Diabetes.

Kyle was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes in 2015 while performing in the Lion King on Broadway and at the time he was in the best shape of his life.

When diagnosed his family didn't understand the innerworkings of T1D. He comes from a huge family, and they help in gauging ideas on how to share with community healthier lifestyle and outcomes.

Kyle acknowledges how it is easier helping people in the community than it is family. This is something we both agree on.

Since his T1D diagnoses Kyle has also been diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

I first met Kyle via listening to him on the Juicebox Podcast Episode 342, Everything the Light Touches. Kyle is a true inspiration. He was the first black man that I met with T1D, and with him performing on Broadway it shared with me that everything was possible.

Kyle had to figure out diabetes while performing and as he says it was a crazy time and being in that environment made him figure it out because it was extremely intense.

Today he is working with NYC Public schools with a pilot program: Project 31, where they're offering culturally relevant educational programming and access to health care. They also have a peer to peer and care giver to care giver program so that families can support one another.

There are currently 2000 kids living with T1D in NYC and another 500 suspected of living with T2D and Kyler Cares is doing it all to engage with community on living with diabetes.

visit https://kylercares.org/

follow kylercares on instagram

On this episode you will hear from Chloe. Chloe was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes at 9 years young, 17 years

ago. Chloe recalls her first finding out she had diabetes and has good memories but also understands that diabetes was a big growing and learning moment for her.

Her mom, being an early education director learned as much as she could to help Chloe along this journey. It became their journey.

Chloe recalls wetting the bed and having extreme thirst and her mom noticing that she was losing weight and

getting sick. Her mom kept an eye on it. She called her primary care, and they told her to check her blood sugar. It read HI. Her mom called back to the pediatrician and they told her to get to the hospital immediately!

Even at 9 she remembers her the medical team questioning if she was a larger child. She remembers this day like it was

yesterday.

From day 1, her mom told her, "Don't let diabetes overcome you and also that she is not a victim to diabetes." As

a kid she didn't truly understand but as she got older, she understood more that she would not let diabetes dictate how she lived her life.

Chloes speaks openly about her teenage years and not being careful with diabetes.

Today you can follow Chloe and her life with T1D via Youtube Journey with Chlo

On this episode we are shared everything from education, mental health therapies, guidance and support from my friend Taylor aka Taylorbetic.

Taylor was originally diagnosed at 15, as a sophomore in high school as a Type 2 diabetic and went almost a year without insulin while being told to eat less and exercise more.

She listened to her doctors, and it did not help as she stayed consistent at 300 mg/dl and she felt and looked sick. Taylor felt as though she would die before finishing high school. A year later her endo prescribed her insulin.

Through those early years her endo actually told said that if she got an insulin pump then that means she failed.

She never received an official T1d diagnosis from her pediatric endo. Not until age 25 and in a research study did, she get her autoantibodies tested to confirm her diagnosis of T1D. Taylors young years of 15-22 were the absolute worse for her.

Taylor has and continues to conquer everything she sets out on. She is a great friend with the bravest of souls. Taylor has Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Science in Applied Psychology and is currently working on a 2nd Master's.

Taylor has spent the last decade as a mental health educator and teaches classes about basic mental health skills and literacy. She also has a Service Dog, Diabetes Alert Dog named Claire that we all love and adore.

I first met Taylor 5 years ago during the onset of the Pandemic, forming the DIACREW , a team of 5 people living with Type One Diabetes that do everything we can to lessen the burden for others living with T1D.

Taylor says a big part of being an advocate and getting online and yelling into the void is making sure that you know what you're talking about, instead of just yelling to people about your own experience because for some people the only info they get are from people online.

Works closely with the DBH Healthline Diabetes Bulimia Healthline, a 501c3 Nonprofit devoted to support, education & advocacy for people w/ diabetes & mental health issues, esp. eating disorders. If you are in need of mental health support and live in the Austin, TX area please reach out to Taylor