Blessed.

December rolled around and I was thrilled to hear about a job opportunity within the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. At the time, our chapter was comprised of five individuals and they were looking for a sixth. The timing was perfect, but I felt like it was a long shot, seeing how I was still relatively new to everything. At this point, I was a few months into volunteering with the organization and I knew that I wanted to contribute to their mission-- to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications through the support of research.


When I think about my career goals,  I can narrow it down to a few short points.

• My line of work needs to be something that I am passionate about.
• I want to be in a field where I am contributing to the good of others and helping to make a difference.
• I want to be in an environment where I can utilize my strengths and education to excel in every day tasks, that will one day help me to advance within the company.

I had been researching jobs within the non-profit sector for quite some time. Back then I knew little to nothing about diabetes and JDRF was clearly not on my radar. Today, I obviously have a special tie to this disease and knowing what I know now, I can't imagine what things would be like without this organization. 


When I got diagnosed, I spent the majority of my time researching type 1 diabetes and ways that I could get involved as an advocate; reaching out to others affected within my community. Through that, I found JDRF and the amazing team that works at my local chapter. They plugged me into various programs, invited me to research forums, and above all else, they were there to support me. When I needed advice, I knew they were a phone call away. Needless-to-say, when I discovered that they were hiring, I knew that I needed to throw my hat in the ring.


I was offered the position this past January and I gladly accepted. I feel blessed to be working in an environment where they get it and work tirelessly for people living with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones. It is my hope that I can help others to feel as comforted as I did by the support and resources available within our foundation.