Hi, I’m Mia Joy!

I’ve been living with type 1 diabetes since 2017, when I was just 6 years old. Since I don’t really remember life without diabetes, sometimes that feels a little sad—but my story is also filled with hope, kindness, and a lot of socks!

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When I was diagnosed at Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital, I wasn’t very sick, but I was very thin and drinking tons of water. Suddenly, my whole world changed. I was scared and confused, and the needles made me feel so alone. But the staff at Hopkins made my five-day stay less scary—they filled it with laughter, games, and comfort. I still remember getting a pajama set covered in hearts on Valentine’s Day, playing BINGO on the hospital TV, and visits from therapy dogs, clowns, and even a woman with a piano who sang to us.

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The doctors and nurses taught my family and me how to navigate this new life, and it truly took a village to help me stay safe and healthy. After leaving the hospital, I wanted to give back and help brighten the days of other kids who were hospitalized. At first, I dreamed of donating teddy bears, but when that wasn’t practical, I chose something simple and comforting—socks. I never expected that first year to collect over a thousand pairs! Now, nine years later, I’ve donated thousands of socks to kids at Johns Hopkins and Penn Hershey, thanks to the support of my community and my Girl Scout troop.

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Along the way, I also created “Type 1 Awareness Girls” with my troop to spread awareness about type 1 diabetes and stand up against bullying. That work inspired me to dream even bigger.

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Today, my newest project is Type1Buddies.org. My goal is to create a peer-to-peer buddy program for kids who are newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I know how isolating it feels in the beginning

I didn’t have a friend who truly understood what I was going through. With Type 1 Buddies, no child will have to feel that way. Every kid deserves to have someone by their side who says, “I get it. You’re not alone.”