"For me, it's coming up on a solid decade of living with type 1 diabetes this November.  I have certainly had my ups and downs over the years, but overall I manage my condition very well.  Joining the team on this adventure is one of the most exciting opportunities since being diagnosed.  Besides being an outdoor enthusiast, it is rare to meet other type one diabetics.  The chance to spend some quality time with everyone and share our personal experiences, tips, and goals will be priceless."

"In my short experience of type-1 diabetes I have struggled to make the transition and learn as much as possible about this permanent condition. I have always liked a group setting for experience and learning, and I am sure it will be the most amazing meeting of people who share a common goal to live life to the full, and ensure the best possible outcomes for themselves by taking charge of their health as I try to do. This will be a unique opportunity to learn and grow together in some of the best surroundings in the world."

"I see this expedition as a great opportunity to embrace life despite the constant battle of a currently incurable disease. The constant struggle with blood glucose control and carbohydrate counting can be enough to drive anyone crazy at times and can be very tiresome. I look forward to the challenges ahead that can be encountered with others who know exactly the struggles I go through and the possibilities of overcoming them all together. I am sure that this expedition will further my personal growth and help me continue to live a healthy and full life."

"Living with diabetes has taught me a lot about myself, though not without some moments of frustration and incomprehension. When I found out about the Best of the Southwest Expedition, I realized that the opportunity of sharing my experience of living with diabetes with other team members and learning from them, while enjoying the beauty of nature to its fullest, was not one to be passed upon."

"The Best of the Southwest will allow me to not only really get in touch with my inner John Krakauer, but will also hopefully get me discovered by Sean Penn. I think it will be a wonderful opportunity to network with and share an experience with fellow diabetics; one that could certainly be life changing. It is also the goal of diabeteshappens to bring sexy back to diabetes, and where else to start but in the Utah wilderness?"

"Since being diagnosed with diabetes, it has been my personal mission to be proactive about my condition—take the hand that I was dealt and make the best of it. I have attended the Chris Dudley Basketball Camp for kids with diabetes for the past 10 summers, where I now work as a counselor. Last year, I founded a non-profit company called Diabetes Happens (diabeteshappens.com) with friend and fellow diabetic, Mike Farrell. Team Insulindependence and Best of the Southwest represent the next step for me as I strive to connect with diabetics everywhere, share a new experience with them, and show the world that us diabetics are quite possibly the coolest people on earth."

"Nature is my playground.  I am a mountain biker, river rafter, rock climber, freeboarder, kayaker, and backpacker.  Diabetes entails additional demands, and offers additional risk.  At all times am I silently preparing, anticipating and correcting for potential fluctuations in my blood sugar.  No matter the adventure, I must keep constant thought on the next opportunity to stop and check my blood glucose or correct for low blood sugar, without disrupting the event.  While this is not unmanageable or impossible, it is something I do alone and something that affects my friends on the trail, on the rock and in the boat.

Peter, founder of Insulin Independence, was the first Type 1 I have ever met, and I learned more from our first meeting than any visit to a doctor.  The opportunity to join he and other type 1's on outdoor trips would be to experience nature anew, with enthusiastic journeymen and comrades who understand the burdens of my disease.  Managing Type 1 diabetes is a constant struggle based on a system of guesswork; it is wholly unpredictable.  The best one can do is learn through trial and error and the best way to do that is with the support of others learning the same thing."

"Living with Diabetes is hard. It is also hard keeping up with everything. There is barely enough time in the day. The reason I want to go on this trip is that it's a great opportunity to be with other Diabetics, share my experiences from my almost ten years with this disease, and see the Southwest at the same time. I like being outdoors and like to run, so this is the perfect challenge for me. I hope this experience helps all of us to take our diabetes to a new level and bond over a common challenge in our lives."

" I am thrilled to go on the Southwest Adventure with a group of  type 1 diabetics.  I enjoy sports and outdoor activities and know this trip will be awesome!  It's going to be a life-altering experience just spending two weeks bonding with such interesting and passionate adventurers--- who, like me, understand the challenges and the possibilities for type 1 diabetics.  As an enthusiastic college student, I fill up my schedule with classes and activities, but at times, shortchange my diabetes management.  I look forward to getting better diabetes control during this program, all while having the adventure of a lifetime."

Name: Sarah Johnson
Age: 30-somethin
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Diagnosis: Finals week, 1995

"Everybody has something to deal with in life.  I grew up with a diabetic brother and sister and my third year in college I received the same diagnosis.  I thought the disease was for kids so surely this nurse had the wrong chart.  My future was further being shaped.  I knew this diagnosis would allow me to relate better to other people who have to deal with pain and struggle on a daily basis.  Diabetes sucks.  But life can still be good.  The opportunity to bond and share with others who experience the same struggles in an active way is a dream come true for me.  THANK YOU INSULINDEPENDENCE!"