Torrey grew up in the Bay Area, surrounded by programming and resources for Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Growing up diabetic could be really hard, but these programs and the friends she made in them were her silver lining. When she moved to the Inland Empire (IE) for medical school, she looked for similar programs to volunteer but couldn't find any. An idea was born, and the outreach began.

Torrey was joined by her classmates Mohan, the tech wizard, and Chloe, the event visionary. About a year went into meeting with endocrinologists, public health professionals,  and foundations to see what was most needed and how our community could be best helped. The mission for Diabuddies became clear; there are so many benefits to community building, but there are not enough opportunities to do that within the IE for T1Ds! We began hosting events with crafts and games, where kids with diabetes could just be kids. Carb counting, low snacks, and beeping pumps just fit in with the everyday fun.

Diabuddies is a community-driven initiative that has grown considerably since its inception, but we didn’t do it alone! We have thrived with the help of surrounding foundations with similar goals, friends who support us immensely, and, of course, through our amazing Diabuddies families spreading the word.