Christina Roth, living with type 1 diabetes, is the President and CEO of the College Diabetes Network, a national non-profit organization she founded after realizing how little support there was for students with diabetes during their college years.
The College Diabetes Network is focused on supporting the college students with type 1 diabetes through the challenges they may face at that time of their lives, such as finding a community that understands their disease to ensuring they have proper health care resources. The College Diabetes Network’s mission is to empower and improve the lives of students living with type 1 diabetes through peer support and access to information and resources.
Balancing diabetes in a college environment (and trying to fit in with the traditional college lifestyle) could very well be deemed one of the most challenging times in life with diabetes…in what ways have the most recent developments in diabetes technology helped improve life for a diabetic college student?
I think that the most recent, most significant advancement in technology for college students with diabetes is the continuous glucose monitor. College students have more on their plate now than they ever have before – classes, homework, studying, competitive internships, student clubs, sports, jobs, and friends. When you’re on the go so much, something like taking out your meter and checking your blood sugar can be difficult to remember. Having a CGM allows college students to see what their blood sugar is at the touch of a button. Because student schedules are so sporadic, CGMs also help students to see trends and give them more context than just checking their blood sugar.
Of course, CDN is the second best development in the lives of college students with diabetes in recent years.
What’s a piece of knowledge or strategy has really improved your success over the last few years?
It might sounds cliché, but connecting with people through CDN has played a huge role in my success in many different parts of my life. While I was in college, connecting with others on campus kept me motivated and supported in everything I had to do to balance diabetes and college. After graduating, CDN’s network has supported me professionally, making it possible to grow and develop the organization, as well as my own professional development, with many in the community serving as mentors and friends.
What aspect of technology or support is still missing that would truly improve life for a college student with diabetes?
A viable telemedicine option for college students would be hugely beneficial to their diabetes management and well being. Students sometimes move hours away from home for 9 months out of the year. It can be difficult to determine which state you should be seeing a doctor in, and how to get to and from appointments.
An automatic, seamless syncing and integration of data to all diabetes devices would also be extremely beneficial for college students. Much like a CGM, this would help students to see trends and provide them (and their doctors!) with more context on what the numbers really mean.
How can CDN help a college student and how can students connect with CDN?
We know from experience that there’s a power in having friends around you that “get it.” CDN can help students to connect with a community of people on their campus who understand what they’re going through. We also connect them with information and resources that they need to handle situations specific to life in college – dating, internship opportunities, alcohol, studying abroad, sports, professors – we’ve got them covered.
To find out more about starting/connecting with a CDN chapter at your school, contact Program Director Jo Treitman at jtreitman@collegediabetesnetwork.org
By tracking your measurements and automatically inputting your data right into your smart phone, the Dario Personal Smart Meter fits right into the lifestyle habits of students today.