College Diabetes Network: Support, Advocacy, and Legacy

College is a time of transition for many students as they relocate to a new city, find a new friend group, and adjust to a fast-paced educational environment. Though exciting, entering this new space can be daunting as students learn to manage their independence for the first time. For some, transitioning to college comes with an additional responsibility: managing type 1 diabetes (T1D). From changing doctors and solidifying medication supplies to tracking sugar levels, students with T1D have more to balance than the average college freshman. Importantly, the College Diabetes Network exists as a resource across the United States for university students living with and affected by T1D.

The College Diabetes Network (CDN) is a nonprofit that started in 2009 to connect students that are affected by T1D. With headquarters in Boston, the CDN helps college students across the country form and lead their own chapters to create support systems and resources for their fellow students. As stated on their website, they are “focused on providing young adults with T1D the peer connections they value, and expert resources they need, to successfully manage the challenging transition to independence at college and beyond.” Not only is this an important resource for incoming freshman, but also for anyone that is diagnosed during their college years, affected by the disease, or interested in learning more about it. For many, forming a CDN chapter on their campus is an outlet to provide others with resources, advocate for each other, and educate fellow students on their campus about T1D. The change is also long-lasting, with CDN program coordinator Dan Browne stating that, “the most important and most commonly seen difference is simply that students with diabetes feel safe, supported, and healthy.” And luckily for Northeastern students and those in the surrounding area, a CDN chapter has been recently established on our campus.

After a year of spearheading this initiative, Northeastern students Alex Peterson (COS ’18) and Maggie Gallagher (DMSB ’20) have successfully brought the CDN and its resources to Northeastern’s campus. They’re assisted by advisor Dori Woods, a dedicated lecturer and researcher on campus who has a personal connection to the disease. As a group, they’re currently working on a pilot program to connect counseling services, health services (collectively, UHCS), and the disability resource center (DRC) to streamline accommodations for students with T1D and other disabilities. In addition to creating a support system for students, they’re also aiming to educate the community about what it means to have diabetes and work to destroy harmful stereotypes about the disease. During an interview with vice president Alex Peterson, a graduating senior, she stressed that her main goal is to “build up CDN to create a legacy for other students.” For her and many other student leaders who formed their own chapters, having this as a resource their freshman year would have been an important support system for their transition to college.

Northeastern’s CDN chapter is the beginning of creating a safer, healthier, and more educated student body. Though predominantly advertised as a support system for students with T1D, the chapter welcomes all students who are interested in learning more about the disease, working alongside their peers to advocate for policy change on campus, and teaching the surrounding community what diabetes is and also what it is not. Though a life-altering and chronic disease, CDN is just one example of the resilience of people with T1D and their ability to empower and enact change at a campus level and beyond.

If you’re interested in helping CDN make a difference at Northeastern, consider attending the following events for the Spring 2018 semester:

• Biweekly chapter meetings on Wednesdays at 6:30pm in 264 Ryder
• Blaze Pizza Fundraiser at 1282 Boylston Street (Fenway location) from 6–9pm on Wednesday, March 19th — flyer required
• “Break the Stigma” panel on Wednesday, March 21st from 6–7pm in 102 East Village: This event will discuss topics related to co-oping with T1D, living or growing up with someone with T1D, working in the medical field and nonprofit fields, and sharing information with community members, peers, and students. It’s their largest event of the semester!

Find more information at:
Facebook
College Diabetes Network website