Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1764 Tandem Kids: Leah

Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Leah
Release Date: February 8, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features an interview between host Scott Benner and 8-year-old Leah, who is living with type 1 diabetes and using a Tandem insulin pump. Scott and Leah discuss Leah's diagnosis journey, her experiences managing diabetes as a child, and how technology like the Tandem pump helps her live more freely. The episode is part of a mini-series recorded at the Friends for Life conference, focusing on real experiences of kids with diabetes, and offering relatable, achievable strategies for living boldly and well.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Leah’s Diagnosis Story

• Diagnosis Timeline: Leah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on August 26, 2024, less than a year before the interview (01:28).
• Diagnosis Experience:
  • She describes the anxiety and discomfort of waiting in the emergency room and recalls her first finger prick as "it hurt so much" (02:33).
  • Leah spent only about four hours at the hospital and was able to go home the same day, "I didn't spend any days. I spent hours." (03:04).
  • She didn’t initially understand what was happening and wasn’t told by her parents right away that she had type 1 diabetes; her grandfather (a doctor) and grandmother (a nurse) were helpful in the process (03:30).

Starting Diabetes Management

• Early Management: Leah began with finger pricks and injections (06:11).
• Transition to Technology:
  • Quickly advanced from finger pricks to using a Dexcom CGM.
  • Started on a Tandem pump (Mobi) soon after. She enjoys the phone interface: “I go onto my phone, open up, and then... dashboard, bolus, and then you just type in the carbs.” (06:35–07:32).
• Independence: Leah already manages her own blood sugar and insulin doses at times, especially when left home with her sister (01:47).

Adjusting to Diabetes

• Learning Curve: She kept a Barbie diary after her diagnosis, filled with new terms like “carbs” which she didn’t understand at first (05:34).
• Carb Counting:
  • Leah now counts carbs for everything, including snacks like Pringles: “I took the Pringles, looked at the nutrition facts... I just went into my phone, put in 16 carbs, and it showed me the amount of insulin I needed to get. And then I just press next, confirm, and then you drop this little, like, droplet... it uses face ID and it just makes your bolus.” (07:36–08:11).

Social and Emotional Impact

• Perception by Peers:
  • Some classmates treat Leah’s diabetes like it’s a pet, asking, “How’s your diabetes going?” (08:45).
  • She wants people to understand diabetes better but recognizes that others are trying their best (09:09–09:17).
• Support System:
  • Leah relies on her parents for support, especially with diabetes management during sports or dance (11:16).
  • Describes the comfort of her mom helping overnight and liking when her parents “take care of it” (13:55–14:18).

Daily Life & Technology

• Sports & Activities:
  • Leah dances, plays soccer, and does theater. She uses the Tandem pump’s “exercise mode” or a custom “Dance Profile” to adjust insulin during activity: “The pump has exercise mode, which actually lowers my insulin that I get while I’m doing that.” (11:56–12:14).
  • Uses a connected watch to monitor blood sugar (11:38–11:49).
• Treating Lows: Prefers Sour Skittles or Nerds gummy clusters to treat lows (12:33–12:55).
  • “Sour Skittles are delicious.” (12:38).

Preferences and Challenges

• Shots vs. Pump: Leah vastly prefers the pump, describing injections as unpleasant and the pump as painless:
  • “I like it a lot better than injections. How come I can’t really feel it?” (08:18).
  • “Oh, I hate giving myself shots.” (16:06).
• Pump Features:
  • Enjoys having choices in how the pump works: “I got a choice. Pushing or popping?” (16:27).
• Biggest Change Since Diagnosis:
  • Sometimes having to sit out of activities when low, and other kids being jealous just for the candy, which she finds odd: “You don’t want to be, like, shoveling candy in your mouth.” (14:57).

Coping and Support

• Family Dynamics:
  • Has one brother and one older sister; no other family members with type 1 (10:05–10:24).
  • Her family is involved in her care, and she sometimes asks them to handle her bolusing.
• Community:
  • Met another child with type 1 at dance class, but mostly surrounded by friends and school staff with type 2 (10:31–10:36).
• Role Models:
  • Leah’s diabetes hero is Stacey McGill from The Babysitter's Club, whose story she’s read many times (16:47–16:59).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Diagnosis:
  • “It hurt so much.” – Leah describing her first finger prick (02:33)
• On Learning New Terms:
  • “One of the words I really understood when I read it again one time was ‘carbs’.” (06:01)
• On Technology:
  • “Do you like it differently or better or worse than injections?”
    “I like it a lot better than injections. How come? I can’t really feel it.” (08:14–08:23)
• On Peer Reactions:
  • “They’re all like, so how’s your diabetes going? Like, it’s my pet and I’m like…” (08:46)
• On Support:
  • “It feels great. Because then I don’t. Then I don’t have to do all the work.” —On parents helping with care (13:55)
• On Treating Lows:
  • “Sour Skittles are delicious.” (12:38)
• On Other Kids’ Perceptions:
  • “Kids say that they’re, like, jealous of me because they’re like, I want to have diabetes to get the skittles. Just for the candy. And I’m like, you don’t want to be, like, shoveling candy in your mouth.” (14:53–15:05)
• On Preference for Pump:
  • “I like knowing that I get to decide what I want.” (16:35–16:38)
• On Role Models:
  • “Stacy McGill.” “Who is she?” “From the Babysitter’s Club.” (16:47–16:52)

Important Timestamps

• 01:15: Leah introduces herself, her age, and diabetes duration.
• 02:02: Leah describes her ER diagnosis and first experiences.
• 03:30: Talks about the role her grandparents played post-diagnosis.
• 06:35–08:11: Detailed description of how she uses the Tandem pump via phone and carbs tracking.
• 08:45–09:17: Leah discusses people’s perceptions and how she responds.
• 11:16–12:15: Navigating diabetes during dance, soccer, and using exercise mode.
• 12:33–13:18: Treating lows with favorite sweets and nightly routines.
• 14:27–15:05: Changes to her life, sitting out of activities, and other kids’ misunderstandings.
• 16:47–16:52: Cites Stacey McGill from The Babysitter’s Club as her hero.

Tone and Style

Leah brings a candid and endearing perspective, speaking honestly and with a touch of good humor about the challenges and adaptations involved in life with type 1 diabetes. Scott’s warm, conversational style helps highlight Leah’s independence and resilience, with moments of laughter and thoughtful recognition for both the challenges and the solutions technology provides.

For More

For further relatable, child-focused discussions on thriving with diabetes, listeners are encouraged to explore more “Tandem Kids” episodes and visit JuiceboxPodcast.com.

This summary reflects the episode’s main discussions, humor, and advice, providing a comprehensive picture for anyone interested in pediatric diabetes care—especially newly diagnosed families and their supporters.