My son, Gavin Volden, has a larger than life personality. He can make anyone smile and turn a bad day into a great day. Gavin loves riding his dirt bike, playing baseball, horseback riding, hiking, and swimming.

Gavin is a wonderful kid, a type-one-der-ful kid to be exact! Gavin has been living with type 1 diabetes for 3.5 years. When I look at Gavin, I do not see someone with an autoimmune disease. I see a strong boy who does not let his disease control him.

On a typical day you can see Gavin with the wind in his hair as he zooms past on his dirt bike. He has no fear and enjoys scaring me when he attempts to jump his dirt bike. Gavin also loves to build things with dad. I often see him walking around the garage with a hammer, nails, and some scrap pieces of wood. If Gavin had a choice between playing video games or playing outside, he would always choose to be outside.

Our family loves to hike and camp, and those may be his most favorite things of all because when we camp, he gets to enjoy his favorite foods: hot dogs and s’mores. Gavin continues to live a normal life for a 7-year-old boy. When asked if he can play sports and do things other kids do, he said, “Of course I can! I just have to check my blood sugar and make sure I am not too low to play.”

Gavin wears an Omnipod insulin pump and a Dexcom G5 to manage his diabetes. I asked Gavin if he likes his insulin pump and Dexcom and he said, “I like wearing a Dexcom because I can go and play outside, and my mom and dad can still see my blood sugar. I really like my Omnipod because my mom paints them and puts cool stickers on them, so it makes my insulin pump look really cool!”

Gavin gets to be more of a normal kid thanks to these devices. His insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor are just a part of him now. Sometimes kids will stare at his Omnipod and ask him what it is, and he very calmly replies, “Oh that’s just my insulin pump.” It is just a part of him now. We all have a pancreas, but he just wears his on the outside of his body.

Gavin has been raising awareness for type 1 diabetes as an advocate with the Children’s Diabetes Foundation for 2 years. Gavin loves being an advocate with the Children’s Diabetes Foundation because he gets to help educate people about type 1 diabetes. As an advocate, Gavin has the opportunity to make friends with kids who also have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes does not define Gavin. He continues to thrive and defy the odds against him because he is stronger than this disease.