As a nurse, Jessica Hamer was no stranger to type 1 diabetes (T1D) when her 4-year-old son Garrus started showing signs of the disease. She said, “I just kept thinking, it can’t be type 1.” But it was, and Garrus was diagnosed with the disease in the spring of 2017.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 11, Jennifer McVean, MD, had not heard of TrialNet until she began working as a pediatric endocrinologist. Now, as part of the pediatric endocrinology team at University of Minnesota, Dr. McVean is a TrialNet advocate heavily involved in spreading the word about screening and studies.

On the Frontline with the Maguire Family

The Maguire family is united in fighting the war on T1D. To participate in TrialNet research, they travel from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto every 6 months. That's a 7.5-hour drive, often through plenty of snow!