Hey y'all!!!
I'm writing this post from terminal 21 in O'Hare airport. The big day is finally here!!! The next couple days are gonna be super hectic (and hopefully productive!), so I just wanted to take a minute to get everyone up to speed before the craziness hits.
If you've been following me on any social media platforms, you've probably seen the latest step of my CC preparation: the social media contest!! For this contest, each delegate was given a list of 40 photo challenges, each assigned a point value. Challenges ranged from simple (in front of your school, 5 points) to difficult (speaking to a local community group about CC, 20 points). The 3 delegates with the most points at the end of the day today will get a special prize!
Now, if y'all know me, you know I don't do anything halfway. So when I got that list, i immediately decided that I was gonna do every single challenge. And so far, with the help of my family and a few awesome friends (shoutout to my tennis team!), I've done just that! I have a few more challenges to complete once I arrive in DC, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get that prize.
Along with the social media push has come a whole bunch of press. I attended the JDRF annual chapter meeting, where I got a chance to speak about my story and my CC journey. I was also featured on NBC news! I'm so proud of all the awareness I've been able to raise in my community.
So, what comes next? Like I said, the next few days are gonna be absolutely insane. I'll arrive in DC around noonish today, and then spend the rest of the day meeting my fellow delegates and prepping for our mission. Tuesday, we'll have a T1D Role Model panel with some amazing celebrity PWD, as well as Hill Blitz training to get ready to storm the Hill. And Wednesday, I have 3 meetings with Congressmen and then a Congressional hearing! Aaaaah!
In case y'all can't tell, I'm pretty hecking excited. It's gonna be so much fun, but ultimately, I'm trying to remind myself that we're not there on vacation--I have a job to do. My fellow delegates and I are there to advocate for the 1.5 million Americans who struggle with the realities of this condition every day. And someday, when a cure is found--yeah, I'm saying when, and I don't usually say that--we're gonna be able to say, "we did that".
I'll be thinking of y'all on the Hill! Keep sending your good vibes and support, it really means a lot.
