Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes
Episode #1759: Boston Croissant Party - Part 1
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Anais
Date: February 3, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of the Juicebox Podcast features Anais, a French-American mom living in Boston with a seven-year-old daughter recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The conversation dives deep into the emotional upheaval, practical challenges, and personal growth experienced in their first year post-diagnosis. Scott and Anais share honest stories about navigating healthcare, family, work, and the powerful role of community support in the diabetes journey. With humor and empathy, the episode provides actionable advice, hard-won lessons, and encouragement for families and individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introducing Anais & Her Family [(02:16)]
- Anais is a biotech professional and mother to two daughters (ages 7 and 4.5), the oldest of whom was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes about a year ago, shortly after her seventh birthday.
- Anais shares her French heritage, her family background with autoimmunity, and the fact that her children speak French at home despite being Boston natives.
Anais (02:16):
“My diabetic daughter is the one that just turned seven today. It’s her birthday.”
2. The Power of Supportive Community
- Anais describes how supportive friends, family, and especially the healthcare team at Boston Children’s made an overwhelming diagnosis manageable.
- The importance of finding diabetes community, notably through local resources and the Juicebox Podcast.
Scott (04:10):
“[Isabelle] always tells me I only know one French word...[French is] a poetic language. It speaks the way you think it would fit really well.”
3. The Diagnosis Experience [(07:45)]
- The first signs were increased thirst and nighttime accidents, initially attributed to summer heat post-family trip, then quickly escalated to a pediatrician visit and immediate ER referral.
- The shock and suddenness of the diagnosis, what it felt like as a parent, and the whirlwind hospital crash course in diabetes management.
Anais (09:03):
“I was in shock...drove back home, called my husband: ‘Lira has diabetes and I'm gonna drive her to the ER now, and we're gonna be gone for three days.’”
4. Emotional Fallout & Adjusting to a New Normal [(10:08–10:43)]
- Anais reflects on living in a “roller coaster” state for the first year—everything feels both fresh and long-ago simultaneously.
- The challenge of dealing with her own unanticipated anger and stress, and how cultural and personal coping mechanisms (like French stoicism) both help and delay emotional processing.
Anais (10:56):
“I think I was really hangry for a long time...It was taking a lot of discipline not to [take it out on people].”
5. Navigating Healthcare & Advocacy [(15:48)]
- Learning to assertively navigate the healthcare system, pharmacy logistics, and insurance—skills neither easy nor intuitive.
- The importance of being persistent and self-advocating, not just for diabetes but in any ongoing medical situation (illustrated by Scott’s extended analogy with his brother’s infection).
Scott (26:07):
“...when you have a bacterial infection, when you have diabe—it matters. And you have to be sometimes a little pushy or persistent, like, whatever we want to call it.”
6. Everyday Challenges: Pharmacies, Prescriptions, and Supplies [(28:10)]
- Stories of mishaps at pharmacies and the anxiety caused by a lack of practical context, especially around storing and transporting insulin.
- The difference it makes finding compassionate, well-run pharmacies versus indifferent chain stores.
Anais (29:23):
“The first time I went to the pharmacy to pick up insulin, they just threw the insulin on the counter—not even refrigerated...I want a pharmacy where I feel like they're treating me as a person.”
7. The Value of Laughter & Shared Stories [(30:45)]
- Anais shares how listening to Juicebox Podcast stories—especially one about a school insulin overdose incident—helped her process her fears, find levity, and realize she wasn’t alone.
- The balance of seriousness and humor in diabetes storytelling as a survival tool.
Anais (31:26):
“I had to stop on the side of the road because I was laughing so hard...I was like, ‘Oh, I can laugh about this. So it’s gonna be okay.’”
8. The Power and Impact of the Podcast Community [(33:58)]
- Anais and Scott discuss how the podcast’s breadth of lived diabetic experience fosters empathy and understanding across backgrounds.
- Affirmation that judgment-free spaces for sharing can transform both attitudes and management success.
Anais (33:58):
“What I like about it is that I would have never learned about that many different people from that many walks of life before…You discover stories from people that have very different life and very, very different perspectives from my own.”
9. Practical Advice, Learning, and Next-Level Management [(41:01)]
- Anais has used the Pro Tip Series and topical episodes to troubleshoot management challenges (e.g., starting on Omnipod, Thanksgiving food bolusing).
- She emphasizes that problem-solving mindset, not professional background, is the key to excellent daily care.
Anais (43:15):
“People that care for my daughter the best outside of me and my husband are people that have a very practical, logical mind...It’s more like the problem-solving, recognizing patterns, and just embracing the chaos.”
10. How Living With Illness Changes Work and Perspective [(44:22)]
- Personal experience with diabetes has made Anais and Scott’s family more empathetic and effective advocates within their professional spheres—especially in biotech, drug delivery, and mental health.
- Personal stories can catalyze institutional change, whether in product design or company culture.
Scott (45:34):
“Hundreds of thousands, if not a million or more people across the country are going to have a better user experience...Because my wife was in a meeting and spoke up about something—and she only knew to speak up because of our lives.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- (10:32) Scott: “It feels like it happened five years ago.”
- (16:36) Anais: “A little bit more empathy would go a long way, I think.”
- (33:10) Anais: “It’s a serious disease…it’s relentless, but we can laugh about it.”
- (37:20) Scott: “I don’t see people struggling and think, ‘oh, they must not care.’...Everyone is trying really, really hard.”
- (44:39) Anais: “When you are the parents injecting a child six times a day, you realize this is actually a big deal…it makes it a little bit more real.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 02:16–07:29 — Anais’ introduction & family background
- 07:45–10:43 — The diagnosis story & emotional first days
- 15:48–17:19 — Medical system frustrations & the need for advocacy
- 28:10–30:45 — Pharmacy struggles & rookie parent anxieties
- 30:45–33:57 — The value of laughter, scary podcast episodes, and community
- 41:01–44:22 — Practical problem-solving and family management strategies
- 44:22–48:59 — How diabetes changes work, empathy, and advocacy
Tone and Style
The conversation is candid, compassionate, and laced with humor. Both host and guest openly discuss their fears and frustrations, while also spotlighting the resilience and resourcefulness of families living with Type 1 Diabetes. Their banter—especially around French culture, parenthood, and the realities of healthcare—balances serious topics with heartfelt levity, offering validation and hope to listeners.
Summary
This episode is essential listening for any parent, caregiver, or professional grappling with a new Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. It highlights how much can change in a year—emotionally, practically, and professionally—and the vital importance of community support, self-advocacy, and shared knowledge. Anais' journey reminds us that laughing and learning together can be as life-saving as medical expertise.
Catch Part 2 for more practical advice and stories!