Vinceaun Minto

Imagine this; you are told: “from this day forward, you will be living with an incurable disease for the rest of your life.” Now imagine being told that at the age of seven. This was my reality, at such an early age which left me devastated and distraught. Want to know what’s worse? Being one of few, oftentimes, the only one in every room with the disease. My studies and life experiences have enabled me to build a senior show focused on Type 1 Diabetes in African American males and how it affects them mentally, physically, and emotionally. Only 5-10 percent of people diagnosed with Diabetes have “type one.” Despite all of my years having type 1 diabetes, I am only able to count on one hand when in regards to the number of other type 1 diabetics I have encountered. The type one community is still here, however, we are overshadowed by the more common “type 2” community which has constant awareness videos on television and ads on the radio. Because of this, it often feels as though the type one community has been blocked out by the world or forgotten. For all intents and purposes, the title of my show is: “T1ll the enD of time” to engage all of my fellow type 1 diabetics and to give a voice to those who feel voiceless. Dealing with this disease does more damage and creates more dark days than anyone outside of the community can imagine. With the disease, you also live with the possibilities of: blindness, kidney damage, heart failure, amputation, depression, and in the long run death just to name a few, which my show elaborates on. Nonetheless, my show and I are here to shine a little light on the darkness by bringing more awareness to the disease and the people whose lives it touches. My philosophy is simple, by informing the audience and viewers like yourself, we can create more exposure for type 1 diabetes and help many people. The next time you are out, look to your left, then look to your right, of all the people you see, there will be at least one type 1 diabetic somewhere in the crowd who is enduring the mental, physical, and emotional toll of the disease. My show serves to create a space where type 1 diabetics can feel comfortable within their vulnerability while simultaneously educating non-type 1 diabetics. Thus, creating a room of empathy and knowledge which can be continuously spread.