#1772 Tandem Kids: Elias

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1772 Tandem Kids: Elias

Host: Scott Benner
Date: February 15, 2026

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Overview

This episode of the Juicebox Podcast features a conversation between host Scott Benner and Elias, a 9-year-old boy from Michigan living with type 1 diabetes. Recorded during the Friends for Life conference in 2025, Elias shares his personal journey with diabetes, his experience using the Tandem Mobi insulin pump, strategies for daily management, and how his family and community support him. The episode offers a heartfelt, candid look at the realities of diabetes for kids and inspiring practical advice for others.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Diagnosis and Early Experience

• Diagnosis Story
  • Elias was diagnosed on April 10, 2024, following symptoms like excessive thirst and urination, confirmed by a blood sugar reading of 365.
  • He did not experience diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) thanks to his parents’ vigilance.

    “I was peeing and drinking a ton... We did blood work and my blood sugar was 365.” – Elias (02:07)

• Initial Hospital Stay
  • He spent three days in the hospital, leaving with insulin pens and a finger stick device, later transitioning to a CGM and pump.

2. Transition to Pump Therapy

• From Pens to Pumps
  • Initial use of Omnipod, later switching to Tandem Mobi after his mother’s research on its advanced automated insulin delivery.
  • Appreciates reduced pain, improved control, and automation of basal adjustments:

    “Lets me up my basal and then they have control IQ that help lowers and ups my basal if I’m high or low, too.” – Elias (02:57)

• Placement & Management
  • Wears the pump on his leg, controls it via smartphone for discretion and ease.

3. Daily Routines and Challenges

• Personal Involvement
  • Elias is learning to manage some of his care but parents do most insulin adjustments; he is proud of bolusing himself for the first time.
• Carb Counting & Meals
  • Counts carbs for meals, particularly confident with protein bars (e.g., 16g carbs for one favorite snack).
• School Routine
  • Handles lunchtime boluses in the school office with supervision:

    “They watch me bolus... you control it on the phone.” – Elias (04:49)

4. Handling Lows and Personal Restrictions

• Preferred Low Snacks
  • Enjoys fruit snacks and juices when low, restricted to organic brands due to a RED40 allergy.
  • Learned about the allergy after a severe reaction to Kool-Aid at age five.
• Support System
  • Family plays a vital role in support and management, making him feel comfortable and secure:

    “My whole family helps me.” – Elias (05:56)

5. Social and Emotional Well-being

• Community and Inclusion
  • Discusses feeling welcomed at Friends for Life and at home:

    “It just makes me feel comfortable with diabetes, yeah.” – Elias (06:07) “It makes you feel welcomed.” – Elias (12:28)

• Making Connections
  • Made friends at the conference, including a fellow Michigander whose sister has type 1.

6. Sports, Activities, and Lifestyle

• Athletics Participation
  • Plays baseball (multiple positions) and basketball, values both for enjoyment and the health benefits connected to managing his diabetes.
• Activity Strategies
  • Emphasizes the importance of exercise and hydration in his diabetes management:

    “[Key is] exercise. Drink.” – Elias (11:41)

• Favorite Foods and Local Flavor
  • Shares favorite foods and laughs about regional differences in snacks and cuisine (pizza, Wawa, hoagies).

7. Metrics, Technology, and Outcomes

• Glycemic Control
  • Regularly checks A1C; recent “bad month” was a 6.1, with usual readings in the 5.5–5.5 range:

    “We were just at 5.5... How are you doing that? ...just keep good control of my blood sugar levels. The pump helps.” – Scott & Elias (08:09)

• Technology Perspective
  • Family preferred Tandem Mobi for its automation and better blood sugar management.
• Nighttime Management
  • Reports restful nights with no lows thanks to technology and good routines.

8. Role Models and Aspiration

• Awareness of Diabetic Athletes
  • Wasn’t familiar with famous people with diabetes but learns from Scott about several pro athletes and their Tandem pumps, making diabetes feel more relatable.
• Advice to Others
  • Encourages exercise and hydration as daily essentials for good glycemic stability.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On first self-bolus:

  “Bolusing myself for the first time.” – Elias (05:36)

• Feeling welcomed at Friends for Life:

  “It makes you feel welcomed.” – Elias (12:28)

• On family support:

  “My whole family helps me.” – Elias (05:56) “It just makes me feel comfortable with diabetes.” – Elias (06:07)

• On advice for others:

  “[Key is] exercise. Drink.” – Elias (11:41)

• On the value of outfield in baseball:

  “When you get older, the outfield is a ton of fun. When you’re younger, it’s not quite as much fun, but as soon as the kids start hitting the ball a little farther, outfield turns into a real good gig.” – Scott (06:31)

• Laughing about regional foods and allergies:

  “I can’t have any other brand other than the organic fruit snacks.” – Elias (05:03)
  “I had a ton of Kool Aid... then I threw up all over.” – Elias (05:12)

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Timestamps of Major Segments

• 1:06 – 2:16: Introduction, diagnosis story
• 2:17 – 3:14: Hospital experience and initial treatment
• 3:15 – 4:03: Transition to CGM and pump, management routine
• 4:04 – 5:03: School, snacks for low, food allergies
• 5:04 – 6:11: Family support and taking pride in self-management
• 6:12 – 7:12: Sports involvement and performance
• 7:13 – 8:20: Switch to Tandem pump, A1C discussion, overnight management
• 8:21 – 9:39: Foods, eating out, regional differences
• 9:40 – 11:41: Awareness of diabetic athletes and family football fandom
• 11:42 – 12:29: Advice for others, importance of exercise and hydration
• 12:30 – 13:59: Conference experiences, making friends

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Conclusion

Elias’s story is a testament to how kids can adapt, thrive, and become confident in managing type 1 diabetes. Supported by family, school, technology, and community, he balances sports, school, and health with courage and responsibility. The episode highlights the importance of support systems, technological advances, and everyday routines—plus the value of finding community and connection through organizations like Friends for Life.

This episode stands as an encouraging resource for families, care teams, and young type 1 diabetics, filled with real-world strategies, uplifting advice, and honest discussions about what it's really like to live bold with insulin.

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]

Ready?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Hey, Elias. I'm Scott. Where are you from?

[C]

I'm from Michigan.

[B]

Michigan. How old are you?

[C]

Nine.

[A]

Nine.

[B]

Tell me your name again.

[C]

I'm Elias.

[B]

Elias. Excellent. Elias, do you have type 1 diabetes?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

No kidding. How long have you had it?

[C]

A year and a half.

[A]

Just a year and a half?

[B]

It's pretty new for you still, or does it feel like you're getting used to it?

[C]

I'm getting used to it.

[B]

Getting used to it. And you told me you have an older sister.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Does she have diabetes?

[C]

No.

[B]

No. Anybody else in your family have it?

[C]

No.

[B]

No, not so far. Yeah. Okay. What was it like being diagnosed? Do you remember the day it happened?

[C]

Yeah. It was on April 10, 2024. I was in the ER, and then the doctors came in and they were thinking about what I could have, and then they were thinking about type one.

[B]

Okay. Do you remember feeling sick leading up to that, or did your parents tell you you had to go to the hospital? What got you to the hospital?

[C]

I was peeing and drinking a ton. A lot?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

We did blood work and my Blood sugar was 365. Oh.

[B]

They caught it pretty early then. Yeah. You weren't in dka? No. That's good. That's awesome. So your parents were paying attention? It's nice to know that they're paying attention to you. Right? Yeah, absolutely. So were you in the hospital just for a day or did they keep you for a couple days?

[C]

It was three days.

[B]

Three days. When you left, did you leave with insulin pens? Did you get a cgm? What did they give you?

[C]

They gave me a finger poker and insulin pens.

[B]

Insulin pension. And today, do you wear a cgm?

[C]

I wear a CGM and a pump. Oh.

[B]

What pump do you have?

[C]

Moby.

[B]

Moby? Oh. Where are You. You don't have to show me, but where are you wearing it?

[C]

My leg.

[B]

On your leg. Do you like it? Yeah. What do you like about.

[C]

Lets me up my basal and then they have control IQ that help lowers and ups my basal if I'm high or low, too. You can also manually up the basal and set it down too?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Then it's. It doesn't hurt a lot.

[B]

Is it better than injections for you? Yeah. You didn't like the injections?

[C]

No, I didn't really like them.

[B]

Yeah, my daughter doesn't like them either. She. She doesn't like them at all, actually. So your pump helps you not get as many injections? You can control your insulin better, right? You're doing your base. Is your mom and dad doing that? Are you doing that?

[C]

I do it. Most of it, but they help out.

[B]

You make you make adjustments to your insulin?

[C]

Yeah, they do most of it, actually.

[B]

They do most of it, but you're learning. Yeah, yeah. So do you count your carbs?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. What. What do you like to eat that you need that you know how to bolus for? Really well?

[C]

Protein bar.

[B]

Yeah. So, you know, like, what's the bolus for your protein bar?

[C]

16 carbs.

[B]

16 carbs. And you get a nice. Do you get a nice, like, flat line? Do you go up?

[C]

Yeah, I go up a little bit and then I kind of go down.

[B]

Okay. It's not bad though, right? Yeah. Do you get low at the end or.

[C]

No, I think because I don't really eat until lunch, so I go low from not eating.

[B]

Oh, so you do. What do you do protein bars at breakfast? Mm, yeah. And then you have lunch at school?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

How do you do the lunch bolus at school? Do you go to the nurse or do you do it like through text with your mom?

[C]

I do it with the office.

[B]

Yeah, Going to the office. And they help you, but you have, like, carbs written down and they. Yeah, yeah. So do you give your moby pump to the office person or do they just watch you do it?

[C]

Yeah, they watch me bolus.

[B]

Is it easy? Yeah, yeah. Controlling it is like, how do you control it? Do you control it on the pump? Do you control it on a phone? How do you do it?

[C]

You control it on the phone?

[B]

On the phone. What's your favorite snack when you're low?

[C]

Fruit snacks and juices.

[B]

Juice boxes and like. Like what kind of fruit snacks you have a favorite? It does it not matter?

[C]

I can't have any other brand other than the organic fruit snacks.

[A]

Organic?

[B]

That's smart.

[C]

I'm allergic to RED40.

[B]

Really?

[A]

No kidding.

[B]

How'd you find that out?

[C]

I. I had a ton of Kool Aid, like, when I was 5, and then I threw up all over.

[B]

Wow. That's how you found out? Oh, so you. But you have a fruit snack that works good for you?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Awesome. That's very cool. Have you ever done anything that's made you feel really proud? Anything with diabetes that you thought, like, I couldn't do this, but you did, and then you were just proud of yourself.

[C]

Bolusing myself for the first time.

[B]

Yeah. With your new pump.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. That made you feel like, wow, I can probably do this. Yeah. And now it's going well, right? Yeah. That's awesome. So you feel really comfortable with diabetes?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Who do you think has been helping you? Is it mostly your mom, mostly your dad, or do they do it together?

[C]

My whole family helps me.

[B]

Oh, that's awesome. Your sister, too?

[C]

Yeah, a little bit.

[B]

A little bit. So do you feel very supported by that? Can you tell me how that makes you feel knowing everybody's got your back?

[C]

It just makes me feel comfortable with diabetes, yeah.

[B]

That's awesome. That really is great. Do you play any sports or you have any activities you do?

[C]

Yeah, I play baseball and basketball.

[B]

Oh, awesome. Where do you play on the field in baseball?

[C]

Left center, right center. All the outfield. Then I do third, second shortstop.

[B]

You've been trying the whole thing?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Listen, I'm going to tell you what my son would tell you. Okay. When you get older, the outfield is a ton of fun. When you're younger, it's not quite as much fun, but as soon as the kids start hitting the ball a little farther, outfield turns into a real good gig. So you'll like it if you. If you end up in the outfield. Are you fast?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Gotta be fast to play in the outfield, Right. How do you hit left or right?

[C]

I'm a lefty.

[B]

Yeah. How do you. You doing well? Hitting the ball?

[C]

Yeah. I actually hit like 14 times.

[B]

No kidding. You've been getting on base?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Where do you play for, like, Little League or TenU? TenU. You guys, you hoping to go to the Little League World Series one day?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. It's pretty cool. My son never made it. He got three games away from it. One time my daughter got closer. My daughter has type one. She played softball. They were two wins away from going to the league World Series when she was 12. It was pretty cool. Maybe you'll get to do that. One day. It's a lot of fun. When you switched from injections to a pump, you went right to the Moby.

[C]

No, we first had an Omnipod.

[B]

Okay. And then what made you switch from Omnipod to Tandem?

[C]

My mom was looking on social media, and then she found out that Moby controls your blood sugar better without you having to do all the stuff.

[B]

Okay. And did that end up being what happened for you? Awesome. What's your A1C? Do you know?

[C]

It was 6.1 because we had, like, a bad month, but it should start going back down.

[B]

We're calling 6.1 a bad month?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, you're doing great then, aren't you?

[C]

We were just at 5.5. 5.

[B]

5. Well, that's awesome, man. How are you doing that?

[C]

Do you think we just keep good control of my blood sugar levels?

[B]

The pump helps.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. And your mom. Is your mom up all night? She's not. You're not up all night, are you? We need you to sleep a little bit, so.

[C]

She sleeps a lot.

[B]

She's fine. Don't worry about her.

[C]

She slept perfectly last night. Oh, I had no lows. No nothing. That is true.

[B]

Nice. All night. So you've been running around here in Florida and you didn't have any lows last night?

[C]

No.

[B]

That's awesome. What you eat yesterday?

[C]

I ate raisin canes. Brutal.

[B]

You had a burger?

[C]

No, I had chicken.

[B]

Chicken.

[C]

And then at lunch, I. Lunch?

[B]

You don't remember?

[C]

I. Chick fil A or Wawa?

[B]

Yeah, There's Wawas in Florida?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, no kidding. Where are you from again? Where'd you say?

[C]

Michigan.

[B]

Michigan? You got Wawa in Michigan?

[C]

No, we only. We don't even have seven elevens around our area.

[A]

What the heck?

[B]

I grew up around Wawa. I grew up in Philly. I was probably near the first Wawa. Yeah. You ever get a hoagie?

[C]

A what?

[B]

Yeah. You don't know hoagie, right?

[C]

No.

[B]

No. Have you ever had a real soft pretzel? Oh, my God. You. Have you ever had good pizza? Has he ever had good pizza? Where would you. Do you like Pizza? Pizza Hut. I got to get you a better place. All right, I'm going to hook you up with some places to get pizza. Are you driving home or flying?

[C]

Flying.

[B]

Okay, well, you can't pull the plane over. That's not going to work. Do you have any heroes with diabetes? Any famous people or people who you follow or you look up to?

[C]

I don't know any people who have any.

[B]

That's Interesting. Yeah. There's a lot of people. A lot of professional baseball players have Type one. The general manager of the Phillies has diabetes. Yeah, there's been a lot of Type 1 pitchers. There's a guy right now throwing for the Athletics. He throws like 100 miles an hour. He has type 1 diabetes. Can you imagine throwing a ball 100 miles an hour?

[C]

It's. That has to take so much power.

[B]

Yeah, he's a big guy. I can't think of his name right now. I'm sure he's real appreciative of that. What else? Tight end for the. The Chiefs. Do you like football?

[C]

I don't watch it, but my parents do.

[B]

Okay. Noah Gray plays tight end for the Chiefs. He wears a tandem pump, just like.

[A]

Isn't that cool?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, there's plenty of guys. Tight end for the Ravens. Who else? Anybody want to help me here? Chad Muma. He believes there's a lot of football players. Oh, wow. There's gonna be football players here today that were a pump. You're gonna check them out?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. What else? Good.

[C]

You can hear my parents screaming at the tv.

[A]

They yell at football.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, Michigan. What are you watching? The Lions.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. See what happened there? Lies, if you don't mind me telling you. It looks so promising. But then it fell apart so majestically. They're probably upset, that's all. Yeah.

[A]

They didn't get to live in Philadelphia.

[B]

Like me and really enjoy what football should be, you know? But they were this close to it. It was probably really, really upsetting. So you got to cut them a break, you know what I mean? Plus, the baseball is sketchy at best, so there's not a lot to do out there. You say you play basketball, too, though, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You like playing defense? You like shooting?

[C]

I like shooting, but I'm mostly defense still.

[B]

Yeah. It's important. If you watch professional basketball, there needs to be more people playing defense, so I'm glad you're doing that. You're doing so well with your diabetes. Do you have any advice for other kids that have Type one? What do you think? What do you think? One of the things is that you do every day that leads to that great A1C and your stability that you have.

[C]

Exercise. Drink.

[B]

Yeah. Stay hydrated and exercise. You exercise every day?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's a big part of it, actually. I'm very proud of you. That's what you said. I did not expect you to say that. That is a great answer and really true.

[C]

I actually need to drink more yesterday.

[B]

Yeah, you didn't drink enough.

[C]

No.

[B]

Me either. How'd you know you didn't drink enough?

[C]

Dizzy. Like, really dizzy.

[B]

You were dizzy?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You're getting really comfortable now, aren't you? Yeah. You're all chilling out. You got your feet up. I should put my feet up. Looks better. How come I haven't been doing this all week? So this is your first time at Friends for Life, and you're seeing all kinds of people wearing what? Pumps like yours, CGMs like yours. How does that make you feel?

[C]

Welcome.

[B]

It makes you feel welcomed. That's awesome. Do you think you'd come back and do something like this again?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. How. What are you. What are you enjoying about it right now?

[C]

Swimming.

[B]

Swimming? My wife has been in a pool for the last two days. She never comes with me on stuff like this, and she's like, I'm coming and I'm swimming. It's all she's done so far. She's turning brown. You must put a lot of suntan lotion on your. You got a little pale here, right? You don't want to burn, is my motion. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You look good.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You didn't burn or anything. So you're here, you've seen all these people. Makes you feel welcomed. Have you gone and talked to people? Have you made friends?

[C]

Yeah. There's this kid. He doesn't have type 1 diabetes. He has a sister that has type 1, but he's actually really cool.

[B]

What did you guys have in common?

[C]

We play the same sports.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

We live in the same state.

[B]

No kidding. You came all the way to Florida to meet a guy from Michigan?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. That's cool. And at home. Do you know a lot of kids with Type one at home? No friends, but people you know?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So is there a feeling that you have here that you don't get at home?

[C]

No, it's kind of like the same, but it's just more Type one people.

[B]

Just more people here?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And. And that makes you feel comfortable and.

[C]

Well, yeah.

[B]

That's awesome.

[C]

It also feels. I feel welcome at home, too. It just makes me feel more.

[B]

Yeah. Awesome. And that was great. You were terrific. I really appreciate you doing this with me. Thank you so much. I hope you have a great time.

[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 IQ technology@tandem diabetes.com juicebox 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.

[B]

One person said.

[A]

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 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.