Can you believe it’s already February? Time is just flying by. Last Friday we featured a personal blog post from Blog Manager, Stoyan. This week we hear from Cara, the Senior Associate Editor at the JDCA. She is the only member of our outreach team who does not have type 1 herself. But I think its safe to say she’s a passionate about a cure.
Hi, my name is Cara Murphy and I am the Senior Associate Editor at the JDCA. I’ve made a few guest appearances here at JDCA2025, but since this is my first personal blog I want to start off by introducing myself. I am a recent grad from Lafayette College. I love writing and believe that it is a very powerful means of communicating and sharing thoughts, ideas and solutions. I became involved with the JDCA last June when I was looking for jobs in NYC.
My uncle has type 1 diabetes, so when I saw the posting for the JDCA research intern position, I was interested to see what this organization was all about. I was a Psychology and English major and was looking for a way to synthesize my love of science and healthcare with writing and marketing. I took the position and have been trying to learn more about type 1 ever since.
The Diabetes Online Community has been an integral part of my learning. To read the personal struggles and accomplishments of people with type 1 or parents with young children reemphasizes to me why the JDCA was created- to focus research toward a Practical Cure so that everyone now living with type 1 could live a cure like lifestyle (and not have to worry about blood sugars when going to bed or sending their child to sleep). A cure would take away this extremely unfair burden and constant worry that type 1 brings every minute of every day.
When Stoyan, Nick and Drew wrote about their diagnosis stories a few months ago, it got me to thinking about when I became aware of type 1 diabetes.
I think my first experienc
e with type 1 diabetes was at a summer gathering with my father’s family. I must have been around 8. I went to a cooler to grab a soda (in my house we only had soda on special occasions or ginger ale when we were sick so I was pretty excited I could choose my own beverage) and came back with a diet coke because I liked the color of the silver can. My mom quickly took it from me and said, “That’s for your uncle. Why don’t you grab a regular soda?” I remember asking why and getting a brief answer about blood sugars and my uncle’s pancreas not working properly. I grabbed a regular coke and went to play with my cousins. The explanation seemed good enough at the time.
But that explanation is not good enough now. Now, I wonder what the factors are that cause type 1. Why was my uncle diagnosed at the age of 40 when there is no history in my family? Why are children as young as 1 or 2 diagnosed with this disease that changes the course of their childhood?
There are no answers to these questions. I’m sure that science will eventually discover why people get type 1. But right now I’m more worried about doing my part to find something to relieve people of the symptoms of type 1- and that’s focusing research toward a Practical Cure.
