Everyday Hero
Everyday Heroes is a monthly series recognizing individuals, families or businesses that go above and beyond to serve our local T1D community.

MEET NICOLE PILEK
As a clinical social worker, Nicole has touched the lives of thousands affected by T1D. After graduating college, Nicole was considering medical school, knowing she wanted make a real difference in people’s lives. However, she experienced an interaction between her friend, battling cancer and her social worker. Nicole immediately replaced her med school applications for social work school. Since graduating from New York University with her Masters in Social Work, she’s been helping T1D patients and their families at Goryeb Children’s Hospital for the past 10 years. We spoke with Nicole Pilek to learn more about her story and inspiration.

JDRF: Tell us about yourself and your work in the diabetes care community.

Nicole Pilek: I graduated Fairfield University with a Sociology degree and a concentration in Pre-Med. I thought I wanted to be a doctor but knew for sure I wanted to be in the medical field in some capacity. It was during my senior year of college when I was accompanying someone very close and very dear to my heart to her oncology appointment. I was sitting in the waiting area while she was being seen by her doctor when her social worker came over to me to chat. I realized that she knew so much without revealing anything confidential and how much she truly cared. When I got back in the car, I asked how significant of a role the social worker has played during her journey. When I was told that of course her physicians and nurses are phenomenal, but if it wasn’t for the social worker, she would have never been able to get through all of this, I knew right then and there what I wanted to do in the medical field. I replaced the med school applications for ones to social work schools and enrolled at New York University to earn my Masters in Social Work. My internship was working in a pediatric nephrology department. I learned a great deal about children and families and chronic illness. When a position became available in the pediatric endocrinology department at the Goryeb Children’s Hospital, I applied thinking my internship experience would be helpful. To be quite honest, I really didn’t know much about type 1 diabetes. I have learned so much in the 10 years since I have been here. I had to learn as much as I could about the diagnosis in order to be of any help. I have an incredible appreciation for our patients and families and what they have do in order to live with type 1 diabetes. I found myself correcting people in the community if they have misconceptions about type 1 diabetes and educating them about the diagnosis. I find myself being inspired when I see someone showing off their pump or continuous glucose monitor site proudly, like a badge of courage, knowing what they have to do every day to manage their condition. Whatever I can do to connect, support, and care for our patients and families is always my thinking behind every program created, every appointment scheduled and every interaction I have with them.

JDRF: What is the most inspirational or fulfilling part of your job?

Nicole Pilek: I get the opportunity to work with incredible and inspirational patients and families every single day. I am honored that they let me be a part of their lives and often when they are most vulnerable. I am inspired by their courage and strength and their resilience. Our patients and families have taught me so much about life; how to appreciate things, how important compassion and empathy are in human connection, how to not give up even when things get really hard. I have learned so much about type 1 diabetes but I think it barely scratches the surface because I am just an observer looking in; I don’t live with diabetes like our families do every single day. I help others by listening and learning from the real experts; the patients and families that do live with diabetes and I learn every single day from each and everyone’s story I get the privilege of hearing. My greatest joy is getting to know our patients and families outside the diagnosis and getting see them live beyond it. That is why I will show up to a sporting event, a play, a concert or whatever a patient is involved in that brings them happiness if I am asked and I love it when they share their accomplishments, pictures, good news and anything that isn’t about diabetes. It is because it gives me such pleasure to see patients and families living their lives and enjoying it despite having diabetes. They are success stories and they are the true superheroes in my eyes.

JDRF: What does a cure mean to you?

Nicole Pilek: I cannot wait for the day when patients get to say, I HAD type 1 diabetes. So much of this diagnosis is about hope; hope for a cure soon, hope for better technology, hope for the day when there is no longer a need for blood sugar checks and insulin injections. I think hope is a much needed discussion to have, and to have often, to help deal with a diagnosis like type 1 diabetes. I often say to patients that I want the cure to happen while they are still patients of ours because I want to throw the biggest “Good-bye, Good-riddance Diabetes” celebration party for them all!

For additional information on our Everyday Hero this month or to nominate someone for the Everyday Hero series, contact mford@BreakthroughT1D.org.