ST. LOUIS, MO - An Missouri high school student's Facebook post about her decade-long struggle with Type 1 diabetes has gone viral.
Madeline Milzark, 18, says she's upset that many post pics of candy and cakes to social media with the hashtag #diabetes. Her post asks people to ignore stereotypes and reconsider what diabetes really looks like.
Milzark writes on Facebook:
The responses to her honest post were overwhelmingly positive:
(Facebook)
There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational. Both Type 1 and Type 2 are chronic conditions, but Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children, while Type 2 is often diagnosed later in life. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her pay for an insulin pump. They can be very helpful for regulating insulin. So far she is several thousand dollars short of the goal.
Madeline's story has been picked up by several international publications including the BBC and Buzzfeed. Her post has been shared thousands of times and received over 10,000 likes. She has set up a Facebook page to follow her story at Type One Madeline.