Lila Kate was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 13 years old. Like many young people diagnosed with T1D, she suddenly found herself navigating a world of insulin, blood sugar numbers, alarms, medical appointments, and questions about a disease she never asked for. But she also discovered that living with T1D could teach her something powerful: a diagnosis can change your life without defining who you are.

That belief became the foundation for Type 1 Ties, a community created to connect young people living with Type 1 diabetes. Through Type 1 Ties, Lila Kate works to help kids and teens find friendship, encouragement, understanding, and the reassurance that they are not alone.

Outside of diabetes advocacy, Lila Kate is a year-round competitive swimmer. She has competed since childhood and now swims at the Miller School of Albemarle and Cavalier Aquatics. Swimming has taught her many of the same lessons that shape her approach to T1D: resilience, discipline, patience, and the willingness to keep going when things don't go according to plan.

Lila Kate is also the author of More Than My Numbers: A Teen's Journey Through Type 1 Diabetes, Identity, and Finding Strength Beyond the Diagnosis. The book grew from her own experiences living with T1D and explores what it means to grow up with a chronic illness while trying to hold onto the parts of yourself that have nothing to do with a diagnosis. Through honest stories, humor, and reflection, Lila Kate shares the realities of diabetes that aren't always visible, from the constant mental demands of managing blood sugar to the moments when T1D interrupts school, sports, friendships, and everyday life.

At the heart of both her book and Type 1 Ties is the same message:

You are more than your numbers.
You are more than your diagnosis.
And you don't have to navigate T1D alone.