For those of us who are newly diagnosed or are supporting a loved one with type 1 diabetes, it can be difficult to fathom what an average day with T1D is like.

The T1D community has many friends, loved ones and supporters who must stand on the sidelines looking in, trying to understand or parents who must learn on their feet to cope with their new lives.

That’s why we are offering a look at a “day in the life” of those with T1D on Twitter.

Several times a year, our chapter will feature individuals from all walks of life who will give a play-by-play, moment-to-moment account of his or her day with T1D using the hashtag #JDRF1Day so that you can follow along.

Our guests will spend a full day sharing updates on their daily routines, struggles and triumphs via their personal Twitter accounts while we share the highlights via the Breakthrough T1D Metro Detroit/Southeast Michigan Facebook and Instagram accounts. With #JDRF1Day, we are working to help raise awareness about how T1D not only affects a person’s health and well-being, but daily life as well.

A Champion of T1D Both On and Off the Field: Meet Joshua Tufts

At age three, Joshua Tufts began experiencing excessive thirst, lethargy and frequent bathroom trips. His father, Derek – who has a brother with type 1 diabetes (T1D) – recalled, “In the back of my mind I thought that’s what could be wrong, but I didn’t want to face reality.”

It was three days after Christmas when Joshua was diagnosed with T1D: a disease that currently affects about 200,000 youth and over 1 million adults (20 years and older).

However, his diagnosis at a very young age didn’t slow Joshua down. It only fueled his determination to not let the disease get in his way.

Thirteen years later, Joshua, 16, still has the same mindset and has dedicated much of his efforts to follow one of his passions: sports. A starting catcher for Riverview Gabriel Richard, Joshua and his team recently won the 2016 Catholic League Championship, with the final championship game played at the home of the Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park. To watch the full highlight video, please click here.

“He inspires me as a parent not to ever give up on anything,” said Derek “He works extremely hard to do what he does as a starting catcher for varsity baseball or starting linebacker on his football team. Joshua is now working on a new goal to compete for the starting quarterback position this fall with his high school team. He never gives up and is an inspiration to his friends, family and community. Sarah (Mom) and I are proud of the role model Joshua has become.”

While out on the field, in the classroom or at home, Joshua wears a MiniMed Insulin Pump and Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor to help manage his T1D.

Additionally, Joshua is tackling another passion of his: educating his peers about T1D and its complications by becoming more involved with Breakthrough T1D as a Youth Council member and as a walker/fundraiser for the organization’s annual Breakthrough T1D One Walk.

Each year, Breakthrough T1D One Walk brings together more than 900,000 people across the country to change the future for peope living with T1D. Join Joshua at the Breakthrough T1D One Walk this year on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 at the Milliken State Park/Detroit RiverWalk to help Turn Type One Into Type None.

Follow along with Joshua on Twitter (@joshua_tufts) on Friday, June 24, 2016 for a day in the life of an athlete with T1D.

Meet our #JDRF1Day Guests: The Perkins

On November 30, 2013, the Perkins’ lives changed forever when their 9-year-old son, Robert, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Prior to his diagnosis, Robert started to rapidly lose weight. Initially his mother, Phyllis, and his father, Ed, thought it was pre-puberty since he also was experiencing growth spurts. He had lost 10 pounds in less than a month and a half.

It wasn’t until Thanksgiving week while dealing with a sore throat when Robert began taking in excessive amounts of water that worries began to surface. When Robert turned down his favorite dessert, and his relatives noticed his uncommon behavior, his parents started to get concerned. Because Phyllis and Ed are both type 2 diabetics, they thought, perhaps, Robert was too.

On the morning of Robert’s T1D diagnosis, Phyllis and Ed tested Robert’s blood sugar on an empty stomach. After witnessing a reading of 268 mg/dL, the Perkins called Robert’s doctor who urged them to take him to the hospital immediately. Upon their arrival at the hospital, Robert’s blood sugar read 577 mg/dL when he was transferred to Beaumont Children’s Hospital – Royal Oak and diagnosed as a type one diabetic.

Since his diagnosis, Robert, now 12, has become an advocate for T1D research as a both a Breakthrough T1D Youth Advocacy Leader and a 2016 Breakthrough T1D One Walk Ambassador. His goal is to educate people about T1D, and the importance of raising funds for a cure. He is joined on his journey with his younger brother, Matthew, by his side for support.

Follow along with the entire Perkins family on Twitter (Phyllis: @lilphillygirl, Ed: @edjperkins, Robert: @JDRFRobertMI and Matthew: @JDRFMatthewMI) on Wednesday, April 27, for a day in the life of a family affected by T1D.

Meet our #JDRF1Day Guest: Jennifer Rass

Jennifer’s son Ethan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on November 1, 2012 when he was 5 years old. Although Jennifer was very familiar with type 2 diabetes because of her father’s diagnosis, she did not understand how different the two types were until experiencing, with Ethan and her husband, how unpredictable T1D can be.

She described the first three months as a whirlwind for her and her family, especially since, unlike T2D, diet and exercise weren’t going to save her son from being insulin-dependent for life.

Since his diagnosis, Ethan has been active in building awareness for T1D as a Breakthrough T1D Youth Ambassador and has raised $38,000 for T1D research. He has made it his mission to be an advocate for T1D and has met with Gov. Rick Snyder, WJR’s Paul W. Smith and Former American NFL Quarterback Charlie Batch, among other influential voices, to discuss T1D, its complications and the importance of raising funds for a cure.

Follow along with Jennifer on Twitter @maxjenn on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 for a day in the life of a mother who is helping her son live with T1D.

Meet our third #JDRF1Day Guest: Chris Gilbert