The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes came when Ah-Lisa Hull was only 8 years old. It ushered in a new era for her and her family with worries about the future as well as an abrupt change in lifestyle.
Fast-forward a little more than a decade, and Hull is a senior at Penn State Abington. The diagnosis changed her life, but it galvanized her to have an impact on others living with diabetes. Hull wants to attend medical school and specialize in endocrinology -- the doctors who treat people with diabetes -- and educate the public about the reality of living with the condition.
"There needs to be more awareness about diabetes," the biology major said. "I've had and still have encounters where people question what I can and can't eat. My eating regimen is different than another diabetic's, just like a 'normal' person's diet is different from someone else's."