Ruby Pilatzke, Petawawa, ON Diagnosed Age 9

School was out for the summer in June of 2013. I was 9 and looking forward to spending time with friends and taking in all the fun the break typically had to offer. That summer was anything but typical. It started with me wetting the bed again. I had long outgrown that. But, I was so thirsty. One weekend I drank water bottle after water bottle only to have my thirst never quenched.

The thing that couldn’t be ignored though was my sudden weight loss. It happened without warning, really overnight. It was drastic to say the least. So pronounced, my looks changed making me barely recognizable to those who knew me well. My mom had helped me have a bath and she couldn’t believe how thin I was. Mom is a nurse and knew what diabetes was.

Almost a week later the weight loss couldn’t be ignored. That was the tipping point which triggered the trip to the emergency department. Along with my vital signs, my blood sugar was assessed. The reading was high, confirming my mom’s suspicions. July 29, 2013, brought the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and a world none of us was prepared for.

I learned of JDRF early on in my diagnosis, and when it was suggested I signed up for their Bag of Hope: A welcome package for those with type 1 diabetes. It has useful resources for the person with diabetes and their caregivers. I got it and among other things it had resources to help explain this complex disease, information about an annual walk and a stuffed animal with patches to help with injections.

My mom accessed resources from the organization to help prepare those at my school for my return in September. I was interested in the Walk and invited some friends and family to join me. We went and I wasn’t prepared for the number of people there. I was overwhelmed at the support I saw and felt. So many people all there with one thing in common - T1D. Suddenly I didn’t feel so alone.

Since then, I have been an annual JDRF Walk participant and have become more involved. I attended the Dia-beat-it Gala twice and enjoyed having an avenue there to tell my story. Seeing donors contribute to the fight against type 1 diabetes was empowering. 

I have enjoyed composing social media videos and articles to raise awareness of this disease. Even with the pandemic when the Walk plans had to change, I changed with them. I did a virtual fundraiser talking my brothers into shaving their heads which helped raise $7000.

Once again, the following year, the Walk was forced to pivot from what it traditionally had been. With insulin’s discovery 100 years prior, it got me thinking. The idea to walk 100 km was born and came to fruition. I trekked for 22 hours straight, gaining lots of attention through media coverage and kind folks driving by honking in their cars.

JDRF thanks Ruby for her incredible physical and fundraising efforts and for continuing to be such an important volunteer and resource for her T1D community.