My name is Ava Pearlman and I am 9 years old. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 6 years old. I love to ride ponies, especially Silver and Fizz. I love them both but Silver bites sometimes. I also play tennis and just started playing the french horn. While I like both riding is my life. Living with diabetes is very hard because I have to calculate all my food and get shots for everything, everyday. It makes me feel crummy. It also makes me sad because I’m not normal like everyone else. When I’m riding I have to be careful because I can drop really low and fall off my pony. I have to check my blood sugar a lot when I am riding and it’s not fair because I have to have a shorter lesson and stop doing what I love. When I am high I have a hard time controlling my anger and emotions. And when I’m low all I want to do is eat but I know that’s really bad for me. I will feel like I’ve never eaten in my entire life.

I really like doing the Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes because all the money we raise helps other kids with diabetes have a better life because of all the new technologies and maybe even a cure. I like that I can tell my story because I want people to understand how hard it is to live with Type 1 Diabetes. Instead of worrying about school and friends I have to worry about my blood sugar and insulin doses. Even though I have Type 1 Diabetes I won’t let it stop me from enjoying my life and doing the things I love to do.

Please consider making a Fund A Cure donation in honor of Ava and others living with T1D by clicking here.