Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1623: Camp and Canine Victory

Guest: Toby Gustafson (age 11) and Brianna (his mom)
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Host: Scott Benner

Overview

In this heartwarming and insightful episode, Scott Benner is joined by 11-year-old Toby Gustafson and his mom, Brianna, from Verona, Wisconsin. The trio explores the journey of a new type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis, practical strategies for managing diabetes in childhood, the role of diabetes camps, and the profound impact of a diabetes alert service dog. The episode is punctuated with laughter, honest reflections, and detailed accounts of living boldly with T1D as a family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Diagnosis Journey and Early Experiences (03:07–10:50)

• Symptoms and Diagnosis: Toby began experiencing digestive problems and weight loss before being diagnosed at age 10. The diagnosis followed a concerning episode after eating funnel cake at a water park.
  • "After I'd eaten that, I went into a sugar coma, and was just really tired, and I was laying down in the middle of a water park." – Toby (04:57)
• Hospital Experience: Toby recalls his apprehension with finger pricks and how hospital staff tried humor to alleviate his fears.
  • "The middle finger doesn't hurt as bad as any of the other fingers, so I just trusted her." – Toby (07:53)
• Transition to Tech: Toby now uses a Dexcom G7 CGM and Omnipod 5 pump, attributing improved stability and reduced stress to these devices.
  • "My blood sugar's been a lot more stable at home and school… before, with shots, I'd be high or low." – Toby (09:49)
  • "The pump is… giving me a lot less responsibilities than what I had." – Toby (10:35)

2. The Diabetes Camp Experience: Camp Sweeney (11:00–19:51)

• Winning the Camp Spot: Toby won his spot at Camp Sweeney through a Juicebox Podcast-related raffle, which was randomly selected via ChatGPT.
  • "I guess my mom had entered me into the Camp Sweeney raffle… you picked again, and I got picked." – Toby (11:00)
• Camp Overview: Toby attended for 18 days in Texas, engaging in a range of activities from boating and canoeing to shooting rifles and weightlifting. The camp fostered independence and T1D self-management.
  • "Camp actually just kind of forced me to be able to change my Dexcom on my own." – Toby (30:39)
  • "There were so many activities, I can't even name them all… boating, canoeing, water park, hiking, adventure course, zipline, rifle range, weightlifting…" – Toby (18:47)
• Parental Perspective: Brianna openly discusses the anxiety of leaving Toby far from home and praises the camp's strong blood sugar management and sense of community.
  • "To think about leaving him so far away for so long, that was really scary… But from his stories since he's gotten home, sounds like a wonderful experience." – Brianna (16:33, 17:09)
• Peer Support: Toby valued meeting other kids with T1D, including another camper who won via the podcast.

3. Victory with a Diabetes Alert Dog - "Ope" (19:51–24:44)

• How They Got Ope: Toby also received his diabetes alert dog, Ope, through a Juicebox Podcast partnership—the Louis Legacy Scholarship.
  • "So we applied for that, and Annie from Medidogs interviewed us and then selected Toby to receive Ope." – Brianna (20:12)
• Dog’s Abilities:
  • Ope alerts Toby to lows by "booping" him with his nose—under the hand for lows, over for highs.
    • "He'll jump up at me and boot me… try and boot me in the face." – Toby (22:04)
    • "If I ignore him, he'll keep booping; if that doesn't work, he'll go to mom or dad." – Toby (22:13)
  • Ongoing training: They train with Medidogs twice a week, soon to be weekly.
• Impact: The dog goes everywhere with Toby (including school), enhances safety, and teaches responsibility.
  • "He's been doing really good with lows… he can sense drops before I know." – Toby (21:08, 21:49)

4. Learning and Independence with T1D (27:51–35:11)

• Breakthrough T1D Support: Upon diagnosis, Toby received a "Rufus" bear from Breakthrough T1D, helping him feel seen and supported.
  • "Relieved that people… understood what type 1 really is." – Toby (29:16)
• Self-Management Milestones: Camp accelerated Toby’s confidence in tech changes (changing Omnipod, CGM), though he still prefers when his mom does it at home.
  • "Camp has been something that has just, like, brought that to me… like, they're making me do it." – Toby (30:39)
  • "I'm scared of… stabbing a needle into [my] skin just by pushing a button." – Toby (31:25)
• Food Choices and Limitations: T1D has prompted healthier eating habits; Toby strongly prefers diet soda to prevent spikes and sometimes finds carb counting at social occasions (like the "cookie incident") tricky.
  • "If I drink a regular soda, my blood sugar spikes… Diet Coke affects maybe 5 or 10 points." – Toby (35:47)

5. Community, School, and Social Life (35:11–46:00)

• School Transition: With adjustment, diabetes became routine—Toby quickly became comfortable managing supplies and tech at school.
  • "As soon as you get adjusted…it doesn't feel like anything… now it's like, it's nothing." – Toby (38:48)
• Social Support: Trusted friends know how to help, and parents ensure caregivers (like friends' parents) know how to support lows/hypos.
• Managing Lows: The "neighbor cookie" story illustrates real-world challenges and learning moments for the whole family. (Especially carb counting at unpredictable events.)
  • "When we were picking up to go home, Toby's alarm went off… as soon as we got home… he was maybe 32, went into the 20s after that." – Brianna (52:14)
• School and Activities: Toby is active in martial arts (Taekwondo), enjoys reading (especially graphic novels and National Geographic), and manages to participate fully in routines.

6. Family, Genetics, and Reflection (46:00–50:08)

• Autoimmune History: Brianna details the extensive autoimmune background on her side (colitis, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, ITP, PANDAS), highlighting possible roots of Toby’s T1D.
  • "Both Toby and his brother have something called pandas… autoimmune disease runs in our family." – Brianna (47:16)
• Parenting and Partnership: Both parents are teachers, and Brianna works in special education administration.
• Toby’s Reflection: Feels supported by his mom, struggles with understanding "why diabetes exists" in general, not just in himself.

7. Why Camp Matters & Final Thoughts (56:02–61:13)

• Toby on Camp:
  • "You get to make new friends and meet people your age with diabetes… there's no such thing as diabetes except treating lows, trading highs, poking and putting on your stuff… you don’t even have to watch your sugars … they'll watch your blood sugar … when you need to change your stuff…" (56:19)
• Value to Family:
  • Camp Sweeney (~$5,000) and the service dog were significant practical and emotional wins for the family.
  • "As a result, Toby's A1C is 6.0, and that is absolutely because of what we've learned from the podcast." – Brianna (60:44)
• Personal Wins & Family Bond:
  • Toby feels confident, grateful, and happy.
  • Brianna deeply values the support and learning from the Juicebox community.

Notable Quotes

• Scott (Host):
  • "Very often, something that gets said to them in the first couple of days, that's not always like a real rule, ends up being a rule in their head because they think, well, this is the first place that they put it or told me to do it…" (08:36)
  • "You better hope I give a car away one day. Be awesome, right? You guys will be like, oh, we won the car too." (27:37)
• Toby:
  • "The pump is making that better… it's given me a lot less responsibilities." (10:35)
  • "At camp… I can't not do it. They're making me do it. I have to do it." (30:58)
  • "You get to make new friends and meet people your age with diabetes… there's a whole bunch of activities…" (56:19)
• Brianna:
  • "I feel confident they would manage his blood sugars well, which they absolutely did… I was just more nervous about if he'd feel safe and comfortable." (16:49)
  • "We frequently have Saturday night dinner with neighbors… [Toby] was maybe 32 [mg/dL]… He hadn't ever had a really severe low before…" (52:14)
  • "Oh, absolutely. I feel like we've learned so much more through the podcast than we've learned anywhere else." (60:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Diagnosis Story: 03:12–07:53
• Hospital/First Diabetes Tech: 07:53–10:50
• Winning Camp & Camp Experience: 11:00–19:51
• Diabetes Alert Service Dog ("Ope"): 19:51–24:44
• Breakthrough T1D/Rufus Bear: 27:51–29:30
• Camp-Induced Self-reliance with Diabetes Tech: 30:39–33:39
• Food Choices, Social Eating, The Cookie Incident: 35:43–55:00
• Friendships, School and Social Support: 38:48–41:23
• Autoimmune Family History: 46:00–48:28
• Reflection on Mom's Support: 49:26–50:08
• Camp Value & Takeaways: 56:02–57:41
• Podcast’s Impact on Family: 60:44–61:13

Memorable Moments

• Toby's Honest Humor and Insight: Willingness to share everything from finger stick scars to fears about device changes, all with a casual, mature wit.
• The Double Giveaway Fame: Winning both a camp slot and a diabetes dog through Juicebox community opportunities.
• “The Cookie Incident”: A relatable, real-world reminder about the unpredictability of blood sugar and importance of cautious carb counting.
• Service Dog Training: Visual descriptions of how Ope signals Toby for highs and lows, and how their training brings peace of mind.

Conclusion

This episode presents a layered portrait of a young person and family who are adapting expertly to the realities of T1D. With community support, humor, technology, and compassionate mentorship, Toby and his mom Brianna embody the optimism and resourcefulness necessary to thrive with type 1 diabetes. Their story is a testament to Boldness with Insulin, the importance of peer support through camp, and the real-world benefits of diabetes tech and alert dogs—woven together by the education and community found through the Juicebox Podcast.

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