About this project.

About this project.

"T1D Journey" is a series of illustrated books for children dedicated to type 1 diabetes started in 2022. Its purpose is to provide children with resources about their condition through real stories of real children, presented, illustrated, and written in a playful, clear, and engaging manner. The aim is to empower children, show them they are not alone, that every story is different, and to inspire and support them to share their own journeys.

Each book is based on the story of a real child with type 1 diabetes and is designed with the involvement of their family to accurately portray their story. Each story focuses on different aspects such as diagnosis, daily life, sports, school, or hobbies. There are as many themes as there are stories, and each story is truly unique. Every child has their own way of managing their diabetes, but despite this uniqueness, similar challenges and struggles bind them together. I truly hope to allow children to see themselves in the stories of others, to feel seen, understood, and supported.

Moreover, these books serve as a valuable resource for children to express themselves, engage in dialogue, understand, and share about their condition. I have received testimonials from people who have used my books to prepare their child for a change in their treatment, such as transitioning from multiple daily injections to an insulin pump, to help them feel prepared and aware of their condition.

This project stems from a lack of resources I experienced firsthand when I was diagnosed at the age of 5. There were no books or resources available for children with diabetes in my country. I felt lost and completely misunderstood about the disease, to the point of believing it was contagious. The medical staff didn't take the time to explain the condition to me or my parents, and my parents were too shocked and lost to talk to me about it. I went through all the stages of my childhood and adolescence as the only T1D I knew, without realizing that others were experiencing the same journey, facing the same challenges, and sharing the same fears. It was this feeling of isolation that motivated me to undertake this project. Although there are now many excellent books for children on this topic, T1D Journey has two unique features: they are real stories of real little warriors, and they are completely free.

This concept has also been praised by a psychologist I know, who sees great value in it for the children involved, to the point of recommending it to others in her circle.

Therefore, I create these books entirely myself, taking care of the writing and illustration (with the consent and participation of the parents, of course). Each book is 100% personalized and adapted to the child's age. Each illustration is unique and tailored to closely resemble the children, and each book aims to be as faithful as possible to their story.

I start by creating all the illustrations based on photos of your little warriors, initially with pencil and then digitally on my iPad, before compiling everything into a beautiful square book of approximately 12 to 20 pages. Afterwards, I have the parents check it to ensure it meets their approval before adding it to the library.

Humanly speaking, this project has also been a phenomenal experience for me, allowing for many exchanges and enriching encounters with the parents of young warriors. For example, it's through this series of books that I came to know Lisa-Marie, with whom I've since stayed in touch and collaborated on another project related to T1D: the development of a guidebook for teenagers and preteens called #T1dDoesntStopUs. That's why I'm deeply convinced of the value and potential of this series of digital books.

To be useful to as many people as possible and to continue inspiring and supporting as many little warriors as possible, this project needs YOU! I would be very grateful if you could share my Instagram posts, post photos of the books, talk about them in Facebook groups, or with your endocrinologist. I believe it can have a significant impact with a little help from the community. Once again, I'm not doing this for my benefit, but for the benefit of young warriors, and that's why I am so motivated.