Wrap up 2015 with a look back at our top episodes of the year. Listen to excerpts from interviews with Nightscout co-creator John Costik, Nightscout Foundation President James Weddington & contributor Kate Farnsworth. You'll hear from Moira McCarthy, the author of Raising Teens with Diabetes, Richard Vaughn, who marked 70 years of living with type 1 this year (he was diagnosed in 1945!) and Dexcom Chief Technical Officer Jorge Valdez. To hear the full interviews - or any of the interviews from 2015 - visit www.diabetes-connections.com/archives/

Happy New Year!

-Stacey

Robyn Adams has a son, a husband, and a father-in-law with type 1 diabetes. She's also a Disney Planner and has advice on how to navigate a trip to Disney World (or anywhere) with diabetes. You'll also hear from Rob Myers, organizer of "Running for Ruth." His mother died last year from complications of type 2 diabetes and now he's honoring her memory by raising money to send kids with all types to diabetes camp. Stacey also talks about Diabetes Podcast Week, a project she's organizing for the week of February 1, 2016.

In Type ONEderland, Finding Hope in the Hard Places, Elizabeth Maxon tells the story of the surprises found when life does not go according to plan. Her daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and a thyroid disorder at the age of 5. Stacey also talks with Carolina Panther Kyle Love. Cut by the Patriots two years ago when he was diagnosed with type 2, Love shares the challenges of managing his professional weight (300+ lbs) with managing his diabetes. Stacey also explains why, on his 9 year anniversary of diabetes, her son wants to share an idea called #DFriends.

Author Andrew Deutscher talks about his book, Typecast, Amazing People Overcoming the Chronic Disease of Type 1 Diabetes. It's a look at how some people are able to turn their diagnosis into motivation or inspiration, allowing them to achieve incredible goals. Our Community Connection features Check B4U Drive, a safe driving program aimed at teengers with T1D.  And this week marks nine years since Stacey's son was diagnosed. She explains what she'd go back and tell herself on that day if she had the chance.

Win Jerry! Jerry the Bear is an interactive teaching toy for children with type 1 diabetes and food allergies. Stacey talks to Jerry's inventors, Aaron Horowitz & Hannah Chung who co-founded their company, Sproutel, while still in college. This year they were honored at the White House. Our Community Connection this week focuses on Project Blue November, a grass-roots social media campaign that curates T1D ideas & inspiration. Listen to find out how to enter to win Jerry the Bear (contest closes 12/8/15).

Beyond Type 1 got quite a buzz when they launched earlier this year with their "Living Beyond" Instagram campaign and "The Drop Spotted" on social media. Stacey talks with CEO Sarah Lucas about the ideas behind Beyond Type 1, and finds out how celebrities with diabetes like Sam Talbot and Nick Jonas became co-founders. Sarah's daughter, Mary is the community manager of Beyond Type 1. She shares her story and talks about what the community means to her. 

Diabetes Forecast magazine's Kelly Rawlings shares the American Diabetes Association's message for November. Kelly also talks about how, as someone with T1D, she balances bringing news for and about people with all kinds of diabetes. In our Community Connection, Stacey interviews syndicated radio host Ramona Halloway about her family's struggle with type 2 and her decision to have gastric bypass surgery.

How do you know which insulin pump is right for you or your child? Certified Diabetes Educator Linnet Steinman walks us through the options and gives advice about how to make the best choice based on individual needs. Stacey kicks off Diabetes Awareness Month with info about Diabetes Hands Foundation's The Big Blue Test and JDRF's T1D Looks Like Me campaigns..

When John Costik figured out how to display his son's Dexcom CGM readings on any web-based device, it was a breakthrough that forever changed how we're able to look at diabetes. John talks about the collaboration that followed, leading to Nightscout and CGM in the Cloud. This week's Community Connection is Kent Schnakenberg, who's vowed to take part in every JDRF Ride this year and travel through all 48 continental Unites States. Stacey talks about how her family manages Halloween and explains their strategy has changed through the years.

Dexcom's Chief Technical Officer Jorge Valdez answers questions about their new G5 Mobile CGM, the partnership with Google and what's next for Continuous Glucose Monitoring technology. Stacey also talks about CGM/Medicare legislation in front of Congress. 

American Jeremy Larsen has traveled the world and currently lives in Japan. He started the 70-130 project (the "perfect" blood sugar range) to show that type 1 diabetes shouldn't hold anyone back from travel. Our Community Connection features a family that loves to visit exotic locations and their advice for taking diabetes on the road. 

Speaker & author Moira McCarthy shares an emotional experience from a recent JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes. Moira has been on several JDRF rides but this was the first with her daughter, Lauren (diagnosed T1D at age 6). Stacey also talks to Kady Helme, who works at JDRF and recently took part in an artifical pancreas trial. 

DPAC is a new effort to make it easier for people with diabetes to communicate with policy makers. Co-founder Bennet Dunlap explains how Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition works and how we can all take part. Our Community Connection is with Stacey's cousin, Aaron. He shares his experience at JDRF Children's Congress this summer. 

Worried about alarms she couldn't hear, Dana Lewis and Scott Leibrand "hacked" into the programming of her CGM. What they learned led them to a do-it-yourself closed loop artificial pancreas system that Dana has been using since December 2014 (and which she wore during their wedding in August). We find out how they did it, why they make their methods public and what it may mean for the future of diabetes management. In the Community Connection segment, we hear about LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults). 

Named the 2014 Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, Gary Scheiner answers questions from our social media feeds. Gary is the owner and director of Integrated Diabetes Services and has lived with type 1 since 1985. Also this episode, Stacey shares her frustrations with trying to manage and learn about diabetes while sometimes not knowing even what questions to ask ("not knowing what we don't know").

"A Mile in My Shoes," is a fun, interactive project by diabetes nurse educator and family therapist Joe Solowiejczyk. Joe's been living with type 1 diabetes for 50 years. The Community Connection this week features Will's Way, which helps families with health insurance pay for diabetes supplies. We talk with Lisa, who started the non-profit after her son Will was diagnosed with type 1.

This episode features a giveaway for "A Mile in My Shoes." Contest entries close on 9/13/15 at midnight.

Richard Vaughn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1945 at the age of six. This month, he marks 70 years of living with T1D. Vaughn shares how diabetes management and tools have changed over the years and why he thinks he's been able to stay healthy. Our Community Connection features a woman who's also lived a long time with type 1 (40 years) but still encounters some awkward situations. She shares an uncomfortable moment she had while traveling and how she dealt with it.

Diabetes Hands Foundation's slogan is "no one with diabetes should feel alone." You'll hear from DHF interim executive director Melissa Lee. She did feel alone with her diabetes for a very long time and shares how she came to find support. This episode also features blogger and speaker Kelly Kunik about I Wish People Knew That Diabetes.  It started as a hashtag on Twitter and is now blossoming into an exciting new campaign. 

Sebastien Sasseville was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 22. Since then, he has climbed Mt. Everest, finished multiple IronMan races, run across the Sahara Desert and, last year, completed an incredible run across Canada. It took 9 months and equalled 180 marathons. We talk about his motivation (he says he's not really an athlete!) and what he hopes those of us who aren't climbing mountains or running marathons can learn from his exapmle 

Going to college is stressful enough for most students and diabetes just adds another challenge. Stacey talks to Mindy Bartleson from the College Diabetes Network about resources to help students, families and even roommates. In the Community Connection, you'll hear from a sophomore student-athlete who explains what advice he'd give himself as a freshman. And Stacey shares something she wrote about diabetes, numbers and emotions that hit a nerve on Twitter.

Stacey interviews Natalie Irish and Chase Pelletier, both part of the Animas Heroes program. Irish is a gifted artist who one day decided to paint in a unique and remarkable way. She “kisses” the canvas, using her lips to create her art. She appeared on Conan O’Brien show with her bright pink insulin pump in 2012. Her portrait of Conan still hangs in his show’s green room. Pelletier is a 19 year old touring car driver who’s already setting records. He’s part of the Drive 4 Diabetes program as well as competing in the F2000 open wheel racing series in Canada, and the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car-A racing series in the U.S. 

Back to school time (almost)! Stacey talks to Crystal Jackson, with the American Diabetes Association's Safe at School program.  She has information on legal rights, common challenges and advice on forming a partnership with your child's school. You'll also hear from a mom whose child with diabetes attends a charter school. Stacey shares ideas for setting goals that make sense at the elementary school level. 

Moira McCarthy is the author of Raising Teens With Diabetes: A Survival Guide for Parents. She speaks frankly about the challenges she and her daughter faced, after years of being a "model" diabetes family. This episode also features an adult with type 1 who looks back at her self-described rebellious teen years. Plus, what I learned recently about talking to my ten year old that I hope will help in the "challenging" teen years to come:

The Nightscout Project is an open-source DIY project that lets users see blood sugar numbers from a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on a smartphone, computer, tablet or Pebble watch. It came on the scene in 2013 and continues to grow at astonishing speed. Stacey speaks to Kate Farnsworth, a Pebble watchface designer for the group and James Wedding, president of the Nightscout Foundation. This episode recorded at the Children With Diabetes Friends For Life conference.

16 years ago, Laura Billetdeaux logged onto a diabetes chat room and asked if anyone wanted to meet up with her family during their vacation in Florida. That action sparked what would eventually become Friends For Life, the largest diabetes family conference in the world.  Stacey talks to Laura about what happens at the annual gathering and what it continues to mean to her family.  In Community Connection, advice from a mom who couldn't find the kind of support group she wanted for her toddler son, so she created it herself.