Meet Kassandra: 10 Years of Thriving with Type 1 Diabetes

I was only eight years old when my world changed forever. What started as days of confusion, exhaustion, and unanswered questions turned into a fight for my life. For too long, no one could tell me why I felt so sick, why my body was shutting down. By the time the doctors finally discovered the truth, I was teetering on the edge of an irreversible state of diabetic ketoacidosis. That diagnosis, type 1 diabetes, along with celiac disease, didn’t just change my life. It saved it.

I remember the small heartbreaks most vividly. Like the day my mom had to explain why I couldn’t eat cake at my best friend’s birthday party. At eight years old, that felt like the end of the world. For my family, it was a massive shift too! Suddenly, everything we knew had to be relearned. I was the only type 1 diabetic in my family, and every meal, every routine, every plan had to be reshaped.

But here’s the part that makes me proud: I survived. And not just survived...I thrived. In November 2025, I celebrated 10 years of living with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease! 10 years of proving wrong the doubts, the stereotypes, and the boundaries people tried to place on me. 10 years of waking up every day with gratitude that I still have my vision, my strength, my digits, and my ability to live life to the fullest.

Dance has been my sanctuary. On the stage, I am limitless. Every beat, every move, every performance is proof that this disability is not a weakness—it’s my superpower. I’ve faced obstacles, but I’ve also built resilience. I’ve had people doubt me, but I’ve turned their doubt into fuel.

My mission now is bigger than myself. I want to help others like me, to show them that their diagnosis doesn’t define them, it empowers them. I want to educate those who know someone like me, so they understand the strength it takes to live this life.

10 years ago, I could have lost everything. Today, I stand here blessed, grateful, and unstoppable. My story didn’t end—it began. And I’ll keep writing it, one dance, one challenge, one victory at a time.