Dear type 1, you won’t stop me from advocating for change
Dear type 1,
My name is Noah, and I’ve lived with you for 6 years. I was preparing for 7th grade when you hit me hard as I began to experience flu-like symptoms and could not breathe. You caused my kidneys to shut down and led me down a path I did not expect.
Since then, life has been a whirlwind of activity, and with the help of my family and support network, I was able to turn a scary diagnosis into a chance to help others going through something similar.
Noah Silvaggio (right) with the Hon. Jim Car, M.P., P.C.
I have had the opportunity to become a youth ambassador with JDRF and have been a speaker, fundraiser, and advocate for the T1D community. I’m now 17 and preparing to go to university in the fall, and I’ve already had experiences that many teenagers my age have not. I’ve influenced change by meeting with parliamentarians and senators in Ottawa through JDRF’s Kids for a Cure Lobby Day and met with Members of the Legislative Assembly in Manitoba to demand insulin pump coverage through JDRF’s #AccessForAll campaign. 2019 was an exciting year because I took part in JDRF’s #VoteTypeNone campaign to garner support for the T1D community during the federal election, and have tirelessly written letters, collected signatures, and spoken at events to ensure decisionmakers at all levels understand what it’s like for me, and others who live with type 1.
You do not define me, instead, you have given me an opportunity to be a voice for those who aren’t able to speak up and influence real change. I’m not limited by you, I am empowered by you. In spite of you, I play hockey and soccer, and I am an avid snowboarder. I’ve learned how to manage you because I have access to the right technologies to live in a way that I don’t have to worry as much.
I know in my lifetime, there will be a cure for you, and that’s why I will continue to advocate, fundraise and support this cause.