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Hi, I'm Drew, the creator of T1D1. |
Hi, I'm Drew, creator of the T1D1 App and this is my story.
In Sept. 2020, I was 13 years old, lying in a hospital bed feeling completely overwhelmed after being told I have Type 1 Diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease where I would need to give myself at least 5 shots of insulin a day. I was taught a series of math formulas to calculate just the right amount of insulin needed for each shot (not too much, not too little). Ok, I thought, there’s gotta be an app for this, but there wasn’t. So, I built one!
As it is when you're newly diagnosed with anything, you immediately gain new awareness to issues you never knew existed. Through my initiation and conversations with doctors, educators and people with Type 1, I quickly learned that the need for this app was much greater than I realized. I learned that...
- People in rural and underprivileged areas don't receive the same access to care or may not even have access to WiFi to share their data with their doctors.
- Technology is expensive! Insulin pumps alone cost $4000-$8000. And that doesn't include all the other supplies you need to run the pump.
- When you're first diagnosed, and you're lucky enough to have insurance, it can still take a long time for some insurance companies to approve diabetes technology so you're left calculating insulin on your own.
- Diabetes management relies on understanding and calculating math formulas 5 times a day. If you're not confident in math (which it turns out, many are not), you face the risk of giving yourself the wrong amount of insulin...every 3 hours, every day.
With all of this in mind, and having more spare time than usual (thanks to virtual school during COVID), I was able to release a basic version of the App just six weeks after my diagnosis. I called it T1D1 which stands for Type 1 from Day 1 and it’s a totally FREE app aimed at empowering kids to help them manage this disease, from anywhere in the world (on or offline). The doctors and users loved it!
"…BY FAR the easiest to use and is the ONLY app I’ve found that has all the functionality we’re looking for…"
"…only one I’ve ever taught my pediatric patients…"
"…far exceeded any other available app…."
Of course, it couldn't just be that simple. We were told that the app needs FDA clearance so, after more than 45,000 downloads and an incredible outpouring of support, we had to remove it from the two App Stores. Through an incredibly generous partnership with Diabetes Center Berne and a company named Comerge, both from Switzerland, we rebuilt and documented the app to FDA standards. It's awesome. Like, really awesome.
We've come so far 3+ years later and just need a little more funding to cover some administrative costs .
Please consider donating today and we appreciate any support you can provide even if it's simply helping us to get the word out. Forward this to doctors, educators, nurses, organizations, clinics, friends, and families whom you think would be willing to support this effort. With your help, we can get the T1D1 App back up in the App Stores and help make the lives of so many people just a little easier.
Drew
What people are saying...
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Awesome
★★★★★ My child is type 1 with no pump. We just started a carb ratio and the app is wonderful!! It is so helpful and easy to use! Thank you! This app is going to considerably speed up the time frame in which my kid can safely return to sleepovers with the grandparents. Not that I don't trust their math, but it's going to give them much more confidence so that they feel comfortable taking her.
★★★★★
This is a game changer for my 12 yr old! ★★★★★
Amazing work! I love the attention to detail, and the incredibly clever in depth features! I’ve been looking for something like this for years! |
★★★★★
This app is amazing! I highly recommend it for recently diagnosed T1Ds. The information you receive at diagnosis is completely overwhelming. Then you are left alone at home to figure out carb counts and insulin doses with multiple formulas and rules. This app makes your life more simple by doing the calculations for you! Plus, it’s a great place to keep track of food and blood sugar trends which will in turn help you to understand your diabetes better and keep tighter control of BG numbers. Astonishing!
After only 5 minutes of using the app, I can say that I will be using it a lot now. I tested how it works and I have to say it is beyond amazing. Thank you so much to your son for creating this amazing app I’ve been looking for a straightforward app like this for ages. Your son is amazing!
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★★★★★
Such a simple straightforward app, perfect for those newly diagnosed. Love this app! My husband can not figure out the math and this finally solved it for him.
★★★★★
Perfect app that is very simple. Been using it for almost a week, and it makes calculating your doses/corrections a breeze. This is an app that is clearly made for T1Ds BY T1Ds. Thank you for making this amazing app! I look forward to the updates. This is awesome! My toddler was diagnosed 6 months ago, and I tried finding an app like this but couldn’t find one. This is going to make life so much easier!
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