Makaila Heifner, Staff Writer
2021-09-16
Makaila was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 16 months old. Before joining the Beyond Type 1 team in 2019, she worked at several diabetes camps, including Camp Leo and DYF. Makaila earned her B.A. in Global Studies and a Minor in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. She now lives in Austin, TX, and enjoys getting outside, seeing live music, and reading IMDB movie trivia. Check her out on Instagram: @makailaheifner.
Written by Makaila
Jahari Shouldn’t Have Died — How “Jesse Was Here” Helped Her Mother Grieve
After Jahari passed, her mom Sachi got help processing her grief through Jesse Was Here, started by another mom who lost her child to type 1 diabetes.MORE
How a Diabetes Pen Pal Program Helped Kiley Be Herself
Beyond Type 1’s Snail Mail program connects people with diabetes across the country and the world. Kiley and her mom have found friendship, understanding, and relief through Kiley’s Snail Mail fri...MORE
Know the Warning Signs: The Hannah Hurlbut Story
Hannah's family thought she had just come down with a bad cold or the flu, a common experience when type 1 diabetes goes undiagnosed.MORE
Logging Insulin Dosages 101
Using multiple daily injections? This easy guide will help you learn how and when to log your insulin dosages.MORE
Diabetes & Mental Health: Finding New Approaches That Work
The Center for Diabetes & Mental Health shares valuable resources on diabetes anxiety, burnout, sleep management, and finding support.MORE
Our Rights to Health in Africa: A Type 1 Diabetes Youth Advocate Workshop Recap
Life for a Child, alongside CLAN Child Health and Insulin for Life, recently hosted an online workshop called “Our Rights to Health in Africa: A Type 1 Diabetes Youth Advocate Workshop.”MORE
TJ’s Diabetes Journey
When TJ was first diagnosed, his doctors said needed to “earn” pump technology by becoming well versed in carb counting and how to bolus.MORE
The PROTECT Study
The PROTECT Study aims to understand how the investigational medicine, teplizumab, works in children and young adults who have recently been diagnosed with T1D, as well as assessing if there are any s...MORE
JDRF Announces New Center of Excellence to Advance T1D Research
On February 23, 2021, JDRF announced the launch of the JDRF Center of Excellence in collaboration with the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in New England.MORE
More Than a Diabetic: Eritrea Mussa Khan
Eritrea Mussa Khan is the newest co-host of the podcast Diabetics Doing Things. She recently sat down with Beyond Type 1 to discuss the podcast, identity, and diabetes.MORE
Congress Renews Funding for Special Diabetes Program
On Dec 22, 2020, Congress renewed the Special Diabetes Program, providing $150 million annually in type 1 diabetes research funding until 2023MORE
Knowledge is Power: Screening for T1D
After their first daughter was diagnosed with T1D, the Brzozowski family decided to have their youngest child screened, and discovered that she would eventually develop type 1 diabetesMORE
From Diagnosis Through Complications: Disparities in Diabetes Care
Recent research is confirming what many have experienced - that beginning at diagnosis, ethnic minorities in the US face more challenges navigating diabetes and care than their white counterparts. MORE
Amazon Launches Online Pharmacy
Amazon Pharmacy, launched on November 17, delivers medications and prescription refills - such as insulin - with Prime membership 2-day shipping.MORE
Finding Peace of Mind
How experience and access to new treatment options gave the Harrisons more flexibility and peace of mind.MORE
From Coping to Healing (And Everything in Between) — An Interview with Michelle Bauer
Michelle Bauer sits down with Beyond Type 1 to discuss her newest book, Jesse Was Here (More Lasagna, Please): Feeding the Soul of a Grieving Mother. MORE
Q&A with T1D Musician Austin James
Austin James sits down with Beyond Type 1 to discuss his experiences with type 1 diabetes and music.MORE
Yes, you still need to wash your hands. Here’s why.
Why we still need to wash our hands during COVID-19 (and all the time). MORE
Sleep Away: Sleeping + Diabetes in College
Makaila talks about going away to school for the first time and how the transition specifically affected her type 1 diabetes and sleep routine.MORE
Graduating with Type 1 Diabetes
Senior (or 4th) year is ending and as you finish finals and perhaps consider college or employment, there's the graduation ceremony itself to also consider.MORE
The Driving Diabetic
Driving is a great opportunity and makes planning a lot easier, but as teenagers with type 1, we have to be extraordinarily careful. When I first started to drive and talk to other people about their ...MORE
Dating and Diabetes
From here I had to slowly figure out the whole dating "thing." Between butterflies and firsts, I also had the additional challenge of navigating my diabetes and how it would apply to my roma...MORE
Pumpin’ at Prom
Just like any other high schooler, I was very excited for prom: dresses, shoes, a date with a boy. What wasn’t there to be excited for? In the midst of planning dinner, transportation and what kind ...MORE
