Kelly Close is founder of a diabetes consultancy called Close Concerns, and she and her team travel the world visiting conferences, reading the latest research, and reporting on the latest pharmaceutical and technological breakthroughs in diabetes. Kelly is also on the forefront of the new OmniPod insulin pump, produced by Insulet Corporation. Kelly participated in InsuletŐs clinical trial and became one of the first people to go on the OmniPod. She talks about her experiences with the insulin pump and the OmniPod specifically, and also what her husband thinks of it, the pros and cons, and her ideas for the future of diabetes technology. Kelly says, "We are in the best era for diabetes ever, I am certain of that, and the tools are getting better all the time -- the OmniPod is a prime example of this innovation."


    18-year-old Dana Lewis never stops. She is a member of the International Diabetes Federation's Youth Ambassadors, the 2006 America Diabetes Association's National Youth Ambassador, an advisor for the US DAWN youth study, and involved in a half dozen college groups at the University of Alabama where she is a freshman. Dana was diagnosed with diabetes when she was 14 years old and became active in the American Diabetes Association shortly after. After joining the American Diabetes Association's Walk for Diabetes, Dana became more involved when she applied to be the National Youth Advocate. She traveled the country for over a year, speaking at camps, at press conferences and on Capitol Hill about diabetes. Now she is working for the International Diabetes Federation on their campaign to pass a U.N. Resolution, raise diabetes awareness and find a cure. Dana says, "Teens are especially unique because we have different perspectives from the adult with diabetes, or the parent and child with diabetes. Teens can understand the experiences of youth with diabetes and relate it in a clear way to those with no personal experience with diabetes."


    James Hirsch was diagnosed at age 15, a few years after his older brother, Irl, was diagnosed. James graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a graduate degree from the LBJ School of Public Policy at the University of Texas. He worked as a reporter for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. The Hirsch family had always been involved in diabetes advocacy. His parents were active fundraisers and advocates, and Irl is an endocrinologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2001, after his mother passed away, James decided to join the family mission and write the book Cheating Destiny. James spent several years researching the history of diabetes and healthcare in America, and interviewed dozens of researchers, advocates, and families. While writing the book, his son, Garrett, was diagnosed with diabetes at age 3. James includes moments from their first year in the book. James says, " The key is, when you have a good day, take the credit for it. When you have a bad day, blame the disease and vow to make better decisions tomorrow."


    Kathryn Gregorio Palmer, known as Kassie, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just as she was graduating from high school. During her college and post-college years, Kassie worked at the world famous Clara Barton Camp for girls with diabetes. She worked as a counselor and then later as the camp director. While she was working at Clara Barton, she met her future husband, John, a Type 1 who worked at Camp Joslin, a camp for boys with diabetes nearby. Kassie and John have two sons, Jack and Ryan, and live in Virginia. In 2004, Kassie won the Acensia Dream Fund award, which gave her the opportunity to write a book for parents with diabetes. Parents with Diabetes: A Real-Life Guide to Staying Helathy While Raising a Family was finally published in 2006 and she spent the rest of the year attending diabetes conferences and appearing on TV and radio shows. Kassie's number one piece of advice for being a grown-up with diabetes: "Just because you are 'grown up' doesn't mean you have to do it all on your own! I was in such a hurry to prove that I could take care of myself, I often resisted letting people help me."