Giovanni’s Friends is the name that we chose to represent our family team for the JDRF walks every year. It started as an attempt to be a playgroup for children living with Type 1, but it has evolved into a chronical of the life and times of growing up with Type 1 Diabetes.

In the Beginning

The idea of a Type 1 playgroup came about when Leslie, a mom, whose son, Giovanni,  was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, had an impossible time locating other children with Type 1 to become friends with her little boy.

While there were plenty of support groups, both online and in real life, for the parents of children with diabetes, there were no playgroups for the children.

Every child wants to know they belong, that they are the same, that they fit in. While there are many ways of doing this, finding other children that have to prick their fingers and get injections would let her little boy, Giovanni,  know that he does fit it and there are plenty of kids out there just like him.

In the Middle

 After several attempts to get the word out about Giovanni's Friends playgroup, the playgroups were not getting the jumpstart that it needed. As a family, we did attend Family Camp at Camp Nejeda, NJ and found lots of people just like Giovanni, everyday living, growing and thriving with Type 1 Diabetes.

In the End

What we found is, that although it is wonderful that we do know people in real live living with Type 1 diabetes, that was not necessary. Leslie found that her little boy, Giovanni, does fit in, he does have friends, he does love, laugh and have fun like every other kid, he just happens to have Type 1 diabetes.

Don't forget to check our calendar for our monthly meetup!!