Living it, building for it, fighting for it
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in late 2023 while already building healthcare technology. What started as a mission to help clinicians became deeply personal overnight.
Living with Type 1 Diabetes
In November 2023, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 26 years old. I was already two years into building Nextvisit, which led to a pivot. It became a platform designed to give clinicians more time with their patients. Suddenly, I was on the other side of that equation.
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 1 Diabetes has nothing to do with lifestyle and there's currently no cure. My T1D was triggered by GAD65 antibodies. Management requires 24/7 attention, careful calculation, and technology that many of us depend on to stay alive.
Being diagnosed as an adult gave me a unique perspective. I came into this with 15 years of building technology, including time working as a network engineer in hospitals and healthcare institutions. I understood systems. Now I had to become the system.
The DIY Loop Movement
Loop is an open-source automated insulin delivery system built by and for people with diabetes. It connects a continuous glucose monitor to an insulin pump, automatically adjusting insulin delivery to keep blood sugar in range.
I use DIY Loop daily with Omnipod and Lyumjev. It's life-changing technology that the community built before commercial options caught up. The system makes thousands of micro-decisions that would be impossible to manage manually.
Being part of this movement reinforced what I already believed: technology should serve people, not the other way around. The same principles that drive Loop drive my work at Nextvisit: putting users first and building solutions that genuinely improve lives.
The rallying cry of the DIY diabetes community.
Breakthrough T1D
Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) is the leading global organization funding Type 1 Diabetes research. They've invested billions in research that has led to breakthroughs in treatment and is working toward a cure.
I participate in the Breakthrough T1D Walk in Westchester, joining thousands of others affected by T1D to raise awareness and funds for research. These events connect people who understand what daily life with T1D looks like: the constant calculations, the technology dependence, the reality that insulin is not optional.
People die when they can't afford the medication they need to survive. That's not a hypothetical. It's why advocacy matters beyond just funding research.
Why This Matters
My diagnosis happened while I was already building technology to help healthcare providers spend more time with patients. Now I understand both sides: the provider drowning in documentation and the patient who needs every moment of their attention.
Every patient interaction matters. The time a doctor spends listening, explaining, or simply being present can change outcomes. That's why we're working to eliminate the documentation burden that steals time from patient care.
Organizations making a difference
Breakthrough T1D
The leading global organization funding Type 1 Diabetes research. Formerly known as JDRF.
Donate or Join a WalkLoop
An open-source automated insulin delivery system built by the DIY diabetes community.
Learn MoreNGLCC NY
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce - New York affiliate supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses.
Learn MoreLet's Connect
If you're living with T1D, part of the DIY community, or passionate about healthcare technology, I'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch