It's National Diabetes Month! Did you know that as of this month, more than 250,000 people have learned their risk of developing type 1 diabetes (T1D) through TrialNet screening? The Yale Pediatric Diabetes Program is a site for the trial and free testing!
According to TrialNet, research shows that people who have a relative with T1D are 15 times more likely to develop the disease than the general population. The general risk of developing T1D is about 1 in 300. For people who have a relative with T1D, the risk grows to 1 in 20.
Families like the Ebner Family from Monroe, Connecticut take part in TrialNet at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. When Elliot Ebner was diagnosed with T1D, his family began looking for answers. Now, Elliot is enrolled in a TrialNet study testing two different Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors to see if either or both can preserve insulin production in people newly diagnosed with T1D. His mom told TrialNet, "The doctors and nurses at Yale have been wonderful. They are super communicative and kind."
The Yale Pediatric Diabetes Program tests the autoantibodies of family members (ages 2-45) of people diagnosed with T1D. These family members could be siblings, parents, aunts or uncles, grandparents, or first cousins. If a relative tests negative early on, they can receive ongoing screening and testing until they turn 18. If you would like to set up an appointment, have a test kit mailed, or have any questions, please email or call Abby Flynn at abigail.flynn@yale.edu or 475-414-4035.