In the near future, I plan to introduce a bill that can alleviate unnecessary suffering for thousands of people (mostly children) annually and even save lives. My bill would direct the Department of Education to develop and distribute a fact sheet to parents and guardians of students educating them about the warning signs of Type-1 Diabetes (T1D).

This bill is very personal as my daughter was diagnosed with T1D in June, 2020. In the weeks leading up to her diagnosis, her appetite was insatiable, and she seemingly couldn’t drink enough water. She was urinating frequently, and she had lost so much weight. A visit to her pediatrician followed by a trip to the Emergency Department at Penn State Hershey, where her Blood Glucose was measured above 500 mg/dL (normal range is between 70-140), resulted in her official diagnosis of T1D. However, we were lucky.

For many, the signs of T1D go unnoticed for longer periods of time resulting in a condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) leading to serious health complications which may even be fatal. Recognizing the signs of T1D early, along with targeted screening and monitoring have been shown to reduce the incidence of DKA, reduce rates of hospitalization, and most importantly save lives.

Please join me in supporting this live-saving initiative.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 2855: P.L.30, No.14
Printer's No. 3213: P.L.30, No.14
Printer's No. 3727: P.L.30, No.14