n this episode of Living the Breakthrough: T1D Stories, Adrian Gonzalez speaks with Lorie King, a retired public school teacher from Maine who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 50 years. Diagnosed at age 18 in 1975, Lorie reflects on how diabetes care has changed over five decades — from urine testing and long-acting insulin to pumps, CGMs, and closed-loop systems. She also shares why she has always been open about living with T1D, how she raised awareness through “Flannel Fridays” at her school, and why balance, not perfection, has been key to living a healthy and full life.
A Meaningful Moment from the Episode
After 50 years of living with type 1 diabetes, Lorie offers a simple but deeply reassuring message for anyone newly diagnosed — or for any parent whose child has just been diagnosed:
“To any person who’s recently diagnosed with diabetes, or has a kid who’s diagnosed with diabetes, the answer is: it’s going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.”
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