FALL 2020
During the fall of 2020, the BETA activities and events will be primarily virtual, with the potential for socially distanced in-person activities. To apply to be either a mentor or mentee, please see the forms at the bottom of the page. Buddies . Empower . Teach . Achieve A personalized program catered to your individual needs:
- Buddies : A friend who can relate to living with diabetes
- Empower: Providing support with diabetes management
- Teach: Healthy eating, Being Active, Monitoring, Taking Medication, Problem Solving, Reducing Risk and Health Coping
- Achieve: Learning and achieving diabetes goals together
BETA is a free 8 – 12 week mentorship program for children and teens with type one diabetes. Each mentee is paired with trained paraprofessionals that provide education, support, and encouragement to those living with type 1 diabetes. Sharing experiences about living with diabetes helps both the mentor and mentee to connect, and provide support and advice on navigating life with diabetes. The goal of the program is to help the mentee feel empowered and more comfortable living with and managing their diabetes while also building a supportive community. Activities are tailored to the mentee’s interests and structured to allow mentees to gain diabetes knowledge and skills that help them work towards achieving their diabetes goals.
BETA Mentors
The BETA mentors are college and high school students who live with type 1 diabetes. In addition to understanding what it is like to live with diabetes,our mentors are also certified and trained diabetes paraprofessionals. The combination of their training and personal experiences allows them to effectively provide education, support, and encouragement to mentees in a safe and fun setting.
Siena
I joined BETA because having a community of other type 1s is such an amazing experience, and it is so important to have someone to talk to about daily life living with T1 diabetes. I hope to share what I have learned and offer encouragement to other type 1s so they know that they are not alone, and I hope to see them grow in their diabetes management.
Jack
Like many others, I have found that type 1 diabetes has the potential to brew a degree of uncertainty, frustration, and isolation, both with respect to glycemic management as well as diabetes’ interaction with day-to-day life. I see the BETA program as a fantastic opportunity to provide guidance and support for other type 1s, and to remind them that they are not alone in this fight.
Vanessa
Growing up as a person with Type 1 Diabetes, I didn’t have peers that shared the same experiences I did. My family and friends offered a support network, but they could never really understand the emotional and physical toll T1D had on me. I joined the BETA program so I could offer my experiences, good and bad, about T1 diabetes; so other T1’s wouldn’t be alone in their experiences.
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BETA Mentees
Sara
Hi Family and Friends, As all of you know Sara was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 3 years ago when she was just a tiny 2 year old. She is our type 1 warrior! Sara recently started kindergarten and educating others about type 1 diabetes and spreading awareness is just a beginning. It can be very isolating when you have invisible illness. Sara and our family found amazing support from our local pharmacy and diabetes education clinic DCCT. It’s very empowering to meet people who are on your team and just like you (other type 1’s). Sara has been attending free BETA program since the beginning of the year and she’s been loving her mentors, and seeing that she is not the only one living with a demanding chronic illness. DCCT makes life with diabetes a lot easier by providing education, connecting people with the right resources and new technology. DCCT also helps Type 1’s who can’t afford life saving insulin through its charitable pharmacy! We attended craft nights, bowling, mini golf and pizza outings completely free of charge. With Diabetes Awareness month approaching, Sara and our family would like to give some love back and are kindly asking you to consider a donation for DCCT’s fundraiser. Please help us keep these amazing services coming and serving our local community!! Thank you for joining the efforts. Sara and the Fam.
