What is the JDRF No Limits Adult Care Kit?
A type 1 diabetes diagnosis— at any age—is a heavy lift.
If you—or someone you know or love—is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, there are many questions you might have, including:
- What is type 1 diabetes?
- What should I expect when visiting a doctor?
- How do I test blood sugar?
- What should I eat?
It goes without saying that type 1 diabetes can be many things.
To help people of all ages navigate this challenging period of adjustment, the JDRF offers resources for newly diagnosed people with type 1 diabetes.
All these resources are free, and provide information and tools to educate, support and inspire newly diagnosed people with type 1 diabetes.
The JDRF Bag of Hope
The JDRF Bag of Hope is filled with useful resources for both the child who has been diagnosed with T1D and his or her caregivers.
For children ages 0-11, the Bag of Hope contains educational materials. It also contains Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes, who—for 25 years— has provided comfort and companionship to tens of thousands of newly diagnosed kids with type 1 diabetes.
Julia Flaherty, marketing project management lead at Beyond Type 1, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child. She originally received the Bag of Hope from JDRF over 20 years ago.
“Speaking of that experience, I can say that it gave my parents and me a head start with my diabetes management journey,” says Flaherty. ” I remember several books being included and the hospital staff giving me JDRF’s Rufus the Bear and Ruby the Bear. The Bag of Hope met me where I was at. This gift was encouraging during one of the most challenging parts of my childhood—my type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
No Limits Teen Care Kit
For teenagers, ages 12-17, the JDRF offers the No Limits Teen Care Kit.
The kit includes:
- Begin with Hope—an introductory guide to living confidently with type 1 diabetes that:
- Covers the basics of type-1-diabetes management
- Provides guidance on health insurance, exercise, school and more.
- Diabetes-supply bag
- Type 1 diabetes stickers for water bottles and laptops
- Easy-to-read reference sheets on high and low blood sugar, and info on how to connect with JDRF for support
No Limits Adult Care Kit
Today, we know that anyone can be diagnosed with diabetes at any age.
In fact, over 50% of all new type 1 diabetes cases happen in adults.
For adults, ages 18 and over, the JDRF offers the No Limits Adult Care Kit, which contains information and tools including:
- The “I Am Greater Than My Highs and Lows” diabetes-supply bag.
- “Begin with Hope”—an introductory guide to type 1 diabetes created with care by people living with type 1 diabetes, their families and medical experts.
- “Bright Spots and Landmines”—a guide to the food, mindset, exercise and sleep strategies that make a positive impact on managing T1D
- The “I’m the Tougher Than You Can Imagine Type” resource folder which contains:
- An inspirational bookmark designed by type 1 diabetes influencer Carly Tino
- Colorful stickers for water bottles and more from the JDRF – Beyond Type 1 Alliance
- An illustrated overview of low- and high-blood-sugar causes, symptoms and treatments
- A brochure about severe, low-blood-sugar (hypoglycemia) treatment: Gvoke.
“Much like the Bag of Hope for children and No Limits Teen Care Kit, I think the No Limits Adult Care Kit gives newly diagnosed adults with type 1 diabetes a head start on their management journey,” says Flaherty. “Care kits also welcome them into the diabetes community. Much like the Bag of Hope for kids, the No Limits Adult Care Kit meets adults where they’re at. It’s not only an introduction to type 1 diabetes but to the resources and organizations at their disposal that can help them thrive with the disease.”
In December 2023, Flaherty—who is also the author of “Rosie Becomes a Warrior”—was featured in a Beyond Type 1 Instagram reel opening her No Limits Adult Care Kit.
“It always warms my heart to know that people with type 1 diabetes are being acknowledged and cared for in ways like this,” says Flaherty. “The No Limits Adult Care Kit makes me reflect on how far we’ve come in providing resources to different age groups impacted by diabetes tailored to their unique challenges.”
Flaherty adds that she hopes every newly diagnosed adult—or parent of a newly diagnosed child—reads books like “Bright Spots and Landmines” when they’re ready.
“Sometimes people with diabetes are ready to jump into tips and insights like this shortly after diagnosis, and sometimes they need time to want to learn more,” she says. “That’s okay—diagnoses are daunting and everyone handles them differently. Whenever you’re ready, books like this help set the tone for empowerment for the rest of your diabetes management journey!”
