Living with Diabetes

Tracy Milligan’s story explains why Diabetes Advocates fought for school legislation in Florida :

When our son Jared went to enter Kindergarten, we were told he could not go to his neighborhood school unless a parent came every time he needed insulin. If a parent couldn’t be constantly on call, then Jared – like every other child with diabetes who couldn’t yet self manage his disease – was going to be sent to 1 of just 5 specified schools in the district. That meant the school district refused to help children with diabetes at 98 elementary schools in my district, reserving just a few for kids with diabetes – what we came to call "diabetes schools". We knew it wasn’t right.

So parents like Tracy turned to the American Diabetes Association and together with diabetes health care professionals, attorneys, and grassroots advocates they fought for fairness for Florida’s kids.

The result was passage of a state law that protects students with diabetes including ending the segregation that Jared faced. 

The new law, which went into effect July 1, 2010, also permits students who are able to do so to carry their diabetes supplies and equipment and self-manage their diabetes while in school, at school-sponsored activities, and on the bus.  And it requires the state to develop rules to encourage schools to train personnel to help kids with diabetes care.