#1748 Tandem Kids: Oliver

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1748: Tandem Kids – Oliver
Host: Scott Benner
Date: January 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode is part of the "Tandem Kids" mini-series, recorded at the 2025 Friends for Life conference. Scott Benner sits down with Oliver, a 13-year-old living with Type 1 diabetes, to discuss his experiences managing the condition with a Tandem Mobi insulin pump. The conversation covers Oliver's daily routines, involvement in sports and music, the impact of diabetes on his social life, and his outlook on living with the condition. The tone of the episode is friendly, encouraging, and down-to-earth, offering listeners relatable insights and practical tips from a young person's perspective.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oliver’s Background with Diabetes

• Diagnosis & Early Years

  • Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 2 ([01:19]).
  • Doesn’t remember life before diabetes; considers it a normal part of his routine.

• Current Management Devices

  • Uses the Tandem Mobi pump with Control IQ technology ([02:02]).
  • Switched from the Omnipod 5 to Mobi after attending Friends for Life in 2024 ([02:07]).
  • Prefers “wired” (tubing) pumps and finds the Mobi more effective at maintaining in-range numbers and responding quickly to highs ([02:41], [04:24]).

2. Daily Diabetes Routines

• Sports Participation

  • Plays indoor soccer as goalie and defense in Illinois ([01:43], [01:36]).
  • Keeps his pump on during play, checks glucose before going out and after coming back in ([01:51]).
  • Clips his pump to his uniform using body catches ([02:34]).
  • Finds the Mobi helps manage glucose during sports activities ([02:41]).
  • Uses Dexcom CGM, checking levels on his phone; only fingersticks if signal’s out ([03:13]).

• Music & Other Interests

  • Plays saxophone in the school band ([04:09]).
  • Diabetes hasn’t interfered with music activities ([05:06]).

• Routine Management

  • Sees diabetes as “just a little more work” compared to peers ([06:25]).
  • Describes daily tasks as “trying to keep blood sugar in range and not trying to go low or high.” ([06:41]).
  • Uses the phone app to control the pump and easily boluses as needed ([07:19]).
  • Parents help especially when he’s not paying attention to numbers or doesn’t wake up at night ([07:46]).

3. Social Life & Support

• Family & Friends

  • Has two brothers and one sister; only he has Type 1 diabetes ([04:36]).
  • Shares about his diabetes with friends (“depends on the people” if they understand) ([05:07], [05:22]).
  • Not participated in sleepovers yet—“mostly” due to diabetes, but also not that interested ([05:40]-[06:04]).
  • At school, knows several other kids with diabetes (about seven or eight) ([10:32]).

• Attitudes and Independence

  • Feels confident and self-sufficient with using his devices ([07:32]).
  • Sees himself as “tough,” and credits diabetes with making him tougher ([09:57]).

4. Favorite Diabetes Tools & Tips

• Low Treatments

  • Prefers fruit snacks or juice (chilled, not room-temperature) ([08:01]).
  • Uses juice bottles at home rather than juice boxes ([08:34]).

• Advice for Others

  • “Try to keep numbers in range.” ([09:46])
  • If something gets hard, he says, “Try to find a way around it,” and would talk to his parents if needed ([09:02]).

5. Mindset and Reflections

• Emotional Impact
  • Doesn’t find diabetes “difficult,” nor is he bothered by thinking about it ([08:55]–[09:57]).
  • States, “I’ve grown up with it, so…it’s just a part of me now.” ([10:59])
  • Sees his life as normal, with diabetes just “a little more work” ([06:25], [10:32]).
  • When asked what he’d want people to know: “It’s just like any other being a kid.” ([12:07])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Switching Pumps:
  "I like the wires, the wired ones, better than the..." – Oliver on moving from Omnipod 5 to Tandem Mobi ([02:20])
  “It keeps my numbers in range more than the Omnipod. And also, I come down way faster than when I'm high than the Omnipod.” ([02:41])

• On Managing Diabetes During Activities:
  “Just gotta check it before I go out, and then every time I come back in, I check it.” ([01:51])

• Perspective on Having Type 1 Diabetes:
  “I mean, basically just like any other growing up, but just a little more work.” ([06:25])
  “I've grown up with it, so... it's just a part of me now.” ([10:59])
  “It’s just like any other being a kid.” ([12:07])

• Coping and Resilience:
  “If you hit something that was hard for you, what do you think you would do?”
  “Try to find a way around it.” ([09:04])

• Motivation & Toughness:
  “Do you think you're a tough person?”
  “Yeah.”
  “Do you think it’s helped you be tough?”
  “Yeah.” ([09:57])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:12] Introduction to Oliver: name, age, diagnosis story
• [01:43] Soccer, playing sports, pump management
• [02:02] Discussion of pump choice and features
• [02:41] Mobi performance vs. previous pumps
• [03:13] CGM and in-game monitoring
• [04:09] Playing saxophone, music in school
• [05:06] Impact of diabetes on activities
• [06:25] Oliver’s overall outlook: “just a little more work”
• [07:19] Using the Mobi app for bolusing
• [08:01] Favorite low treatments
• [09:46] Advice for other kids with Type 1
• [10:32] On having many peers with diabetes
• [12:07] Final message: “just like any other being a kid”

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Episode Tone and Style

The conversation is friendly, candid, and light-hearted. Scott Benner uses humor and empathy to put Oliver at ease, while Oliver’s practical and cheerful attitude provides reassurance and encouragement to other young listeners and their families. The episode steers clear of medical advice and emphasizes personal experience and positivity.

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Recommended For:
Parents and caregivers of children with Type 1 diabetes, young people managing diabetes, and anyone interested in firsthand perspectives on pediatric diabetes management.

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For more strategies on living boldly with insulin, visit JuiceboxPodcast.com.

Transcript

[A]

I attended my first ever Friends for Life conference in July of 2025. And while I was there, I interviewed eight children of various ages, all who wear a tandem pump. I want to thank Tandem Diabetes for sponsoring this short episode of the Juice Box podcast. Check them [e-mail] juicebox nothing you hear on the Juice Box Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan. The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by TandemMobi. The impressively small insulin pump. Tandem Mobi features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Technology. It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. Learn more and get started [e-mail] Chandra Juice Box.

[B]

You ready to go?

[C]

Hey. How are you? Good.

[B]

Cool. What's your name?

[C]

Oliver.

[B]

Oliver. How old are you?

[C]

Thirteen.

[B]

Thirteen. You have type 1 diabetes?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah. When were you diagnosed?

[C]

When I was 2.

[B]

2. You play any sports?

[C]

I mean, I play indoor soccer every winter.

[B]

Indoor soccer? Yeah. What part of the country are you from? I'll help you. I live in New Jersey. What part of the country are you from?

[C]

Oh, I live from Illinois.

[B]

Illinois. Oh, so you have to play inside because it's freezing in the winter. Gotcha. What position do you play?

[C]

Goalie. And defense.

[B]

Okay. A lot of running.

[C]

A little bit.

[B]

A little bit. How do you handle it with your diabetes?

[C]

Just gotta check it before I go out, and then every time I come back in, I check it.

[B]

Yeah. Do you disconnect from your pump to play?

[C]

No.

[B]

Oh, you leave it on. What pump do you have?

[C]

The Moby.

[B]

Moby. Awesome. Now, how long have you had that?

[C]

Since last year, after finish for life.

[B]

Okay. Did you have a pump before that?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah? Which one?

[C]

Omni plus five.

[B]

Okay. And you switched to the movie?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

How come?

[C]

I like the wires, the wired ones, better than the.

[B]

Okay, you wanted the tubing. That's awesome. But with the Moby, you can wear it while you're playing. Still? Yeah. So do you clip it on to, like, your uniform or do you use the.

[C]

The body catches?

[B]

Yeah. That works well for you. That's awesome. Tell me one thing you love about the Moby.

[C]

It keeps my numbers in range more than the Omnipod. And also, I come down way faster than when I'm high than the Omnipod.

[B]

It's awesome. Do you notice any times where diabetes is easier? Like, if you're more active, are your numbers better? Is it, like.

[C]

It just keeps me in range a lot more than the Omnipod did.

[B]

Yeah. Good for you, man. That's awesome. I'm glad you found something you like that's working for you. It's really cool. So when you're running around, you're still getting your insulin and Control IQ is doing its whole thing for you.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Does it, generally speaking, do a good job for you?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And what do you do, like, when you say when you take breaks? You check. You check? Like on a CGM Dexcom check. On my phone. On your phone. Right. Do you ever do a finger stick while you're playing?

[C]

Not unless I'm not reading. Like, no signal or something.

[B]

You count on the CGM and the Moby to do their thing? Yeah. It's awesome. Your mom at your games? Usually, yeah. Yeah. Does she scream like a lunatic?

[C]

Sometimes.

[B]

Sometimes, yeah. What's it like to, like, stop a ball when somebody kicks it at you? Is it exhilarating?

[C]

Yeah, sometimes.

[B]

Yeah. Do you ever, like, catch the ball and think, like, I am. I'm doing this. I'm the man? Like, no. You don't, like, parade around a little bit? You don't take a half a second to show everybody, I've got the ball. It's not the net. Like, come on. Sometimes. Yeah. Love it, man. That's awesome. Do you have any other interests outside of school?

[C]

I play band.

[B]

Oh, no kidding. What do you play?

[C]

Saxophone.

[B]

No kidding. You want to hear a story?

[C]

Sure.

[B]

I wanted to play the cello. They were out of cellos. They gave me a saxophone. I was terrible at it. I stopped playing the saxophone. Are you good at it?

[C]

Decent.

[B]

Decent. Do you like it?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. They say it's about practice. You got to keep practicing if you want to be good. Is that true?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You get better as you practice. Right? Brothers or sisters? Oliver?

[C]

Two brothers and a sister.

[B]

Two brothers and a sister. Does anybody else have Type one?

[C]

No.

[B]

No. Okay. Do you remember? There's no way you remember anything about being diagnosed, right? You were two, you said.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you know how old my daughter was when she was diagnosed? I'm gonna make you guess.

[C]

Four.

[B]

She was two. All right. So you play soccer, you enjoy soccer, you're in the band, you play saxophone. Has diabetes gotten in the way of playing saxophone at all?

[C]

No, not really.

[B]

It's awesome. Do you feel like when you're around other people because you've had diabetes your whole life, you don't remember not having it? I imagine. Right. Do you share with other people around you about it?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Friends or anybody?

[C]

Just friends.

[B]

Friends. Do they have a pretty good, like, understanding of it sometimes.

[C]

Depends on the people.

[B]

Yeah. Do you have friends that you trust to help you? If you're, like, low, would they know what to do?

[C]

Maybe.

[B]

Maybe. Yeah. Do you go on sleepovers?

[C]

Not yet.

[B]

Now, is it because of the diabetes?

[C]

You haven't, mostly, yeah.

[B]

Yeah, it's. What do you think that noise was? That's crazy. It's like a spaceship. Did you hear it? It wasn't just me. Right. Okay. Do you want to go to stuff like that or. And it's stopping you or do you not really care?

[C]

It's not stopped me. It's just I don't really do those go, like sleepovers.

[B]

Not a thing you would do. Really?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. All right, I gotcha. Okay. I'm gonna ask you a different question. At a pivot. The noise got me. Took me off my game. You know what I mean? You ever had that happen? You have a thought that gets knocked out of your head. So since you don't remember your diagnosis, can you tell me what it's like to grow up with diabetes?

[C]

I mean, basically just like any other growing up, but just a little more.

[B]

Work, feels a little. It's completely normal to you with a little more work. That's not bad. What kind of work? What do you. What do you think the extra things are that you do?

[C]

Trying to keep blood sugar in range and not trying to go lower. High.

[B]

Yeah. How do you. How do you manage that? Like, what is it? What are some of the things you do to stop those things from happening?

[C]

Give insulin or eat something if I'm going low or give insulin if I'm. If I'm high.

[B]

Is it hard to, like, if you're doing something like, I don't know, playing a video game or hanging out with your friends or something, and you need to, like, bolas for something, or does it. Is it hard to stop what you're doing?

[C]

Not really.

[B]

It's not a big deal. But you just pick up your phone and there it is. Right. How do you control the movie?

[C]

It's just an app on my phone that.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I press bolus in it. I put in the carbs, and it gives the insulin in.

[B]

Is it hard?

[C]

No.

[B]

Something. You're good. And do you think. Are you confident when you're using it? Like, you. Like, you know you're doing the right thing? Yeah. Does your mom or parents or anybody help you with your diabetes or you.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. What do they help you with most?

[C]

Giving the insulin, like, when I'm not paying Attention to my numbers.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Or when I. I don't wake up, when my phone beeps, so they have to wake up.

[B]

And what's your favorite low snack?

[C]

Gummies or juice?

[B]

Yeah, gummy. Like gummy bears or like, fruit snacks? Fruit snacks? Yeah. They work pretty quickly. Yeah. What kind of. Do you have a certain kind of dual. Do you have a certain kind of juice that you like? Doesn't matter. Do you prefer the juice to be cold or room temperature?

[C]

Cold.

[B]

Cold. My daughter will only do it if it's room temperature. She doesn't want cold juice when she's low. But you like it cold. All right, so you keep yours in the fridge? Yeah, ours are stashed all over our house. Do you have juice boxes everywhere?

[C]

We do the bottles, so.

[B]

Oh, little bottles. I'm gonna embarrass my daughter now? My daughter's 21. She still does the Burt Nurney juice boxes. You know the ones I'm talking about? Yeah. Those are her favorite ones. And they're, like, a really good size. So, like, it's just enough to kind of stop her low. Is there anything about diabetes that you find difficult?

[C]

Not really.

[B]

No. If you did, what would you do? Like, if you hit something that was hard for you, what do you think you would do?

[C]

Try to find a way around it.

[B]

Yeah. Do you think you'd share with your parents that you were having trouble? Yeah. And they're helpful. That's awesome. Brothers or sisters? Does anybody else have type one? No. Do you have advice for other kids, like another kid at type 1? Pretend for a second that I am. What do you think? 40 years younger than I am right now? What would make me your age? 30. Why won't you guess my age? Seriously, Oliver, tell me. Why won't you guess? You don't know. All right, that's fine. I'm 54. Okay, so let's say 40 or younger. Me rolls up in here, I have type one. I say, what's your best piece of advice? What would you tell me?

[C]

Try to keep numbers in range.

[B]

Yeah. Do you find yourself thinking about it all the time?

[C]

Sometimes, yeah.

[B]

Does it bother you? Like, does it make you upset that you have to think about it?

[C]

No. Not really.

[B]

No. Okay. Would you describe growing up with diabetes as something that's taught you something? Like, do you have any, like, weird lessons, like, something you know about life now? No. Do you think you're a tough person? Yeah. Do you think it's helped you be tough? Yeah. I bet you it has, man. Walking around here so far, you've only been here a couple days so far, but you're seeing kids and adults everywhere with CGMs. Pumps. Right? Pumps like yours. Different kinds of stuff. Does that make you any. Feel any kind of way? Is it uplifting or just feels normal to you?

[C]

Normal? A lot of kids in my school, there's like seven or eight kids that have diabetes at my school.

[B]

So you all know each other?

[C]

I know a few of them, yeah.

[B]

That's interesting. So it's something you're accustomed to? Yeah. It seems to me like you don't have. I don't know how to put this. You're not bothered by having diabetes? No. That's pretty awesome. Do you. Do you know why Is that, like, your personality?

[C]

I mean, I've grown up with it, so.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, it's just a part of me now.

[B]

It just feels completely just like every other day and every other thing.

[C]

Right.

[B]

That's awesome. Do you talk to anybody about it? Like, is it ever hard? Do you ever go to your mom and say, like, this is difficult, and do you guys chat about it?

[C]

Not really.

[B]

No. Do you never feel that way? Does she ever look like it's hard for her? Yeah. As long as the food's in the house, right? And they keep the heat on and everything.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Are you having fun? You are. That's good. I can't tell if you're having fun. I mean, you're smiling a lot, so that. That tells me fun. But are you. Are you nervous?

[C]

Little bit.

[B]

Little bit. Still? That's okay. I don't want you to be nervous. Ask me a question. I'll answer anything you ask me right now.

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

You don't want to know if I have a pet, maybe or something like that or. No. Okay, you. Do you have any idea who I am?

[C]

Perfect.

[B]

I'm nobody, okay? I am just the guy sitting here talking to you about your diabetes. This is the way it needs to be. All right? Tell me one thing you want people to know about Type one.

[C]

I mean, it's just like any other being a kid.

[B]

Yeah. There's nothing, Nothing different or bad for you. That's really awesome, man. I love that you have such a great attitude. Seriously, it's awesome. I think we're done now. I can't believe you didn't want to ask me about my pets, though. I'm not going to show you a picture now, just so you know, because you weren't interested. You would love it. You would have loved my pet. You'll never know what it is. All right. I hope you have a great time here today. Thank you so much for doing this with me. Thank you, man. That was great.

[A]

The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Moby with Control [e-mail] There are links in the show notes and [e-mail] if you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the Small Sips. That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. These are perfect little bursts of clarity. One person said, I finally understood things I've heard a hundred times. Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. People say Small Sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table and giving you one clean idea at a time. Nothing overwhelming, no fire hose of information, just steady, helpful nudges that actually stick. People listen in their car, on walks, or while they're actually bolusing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. And the reviews, they all say the same thing. Small Sips makes diabetes make sense. Search for the Juice Box Podcast, Small Sips wherever you get audio.