Inside the T1D Relief Effort During the LA Wildfires

We’ve all wondered about those “what ifs.” What if there’s an earthquake, a hurricane, or a fire? For most people, these are difficult events to imagine, let alone prepare for. But for those with chronic illnesses like type 1 diabetes (T1D), surviving a natural disaster is one thing - it’s what happens next that can be life or death.

In the midst of the wildfires that raged across Los Angeles—the Palisades fire, the Hughes fire, the Eden fire—many people with diabetes were forced to evacuate. Lives were upended, homes were destroyed, and vital medical supplies were lost in an instant. For some, the question of their immediate medical needs only exacerbated the battle to survive. 

When the wildfires swept across Los Angeles, I was watching from Mexico City, feeling helpless and horrified. That’s when I connected with a group of volunteers working tirelessly to distribute medical supplies to those in need. I was struck by their dedication. My diabetes educator also told me stories of her patients who lost their homes and medical supplies in the fires. At that moment, I knew this story needed to be shared.

My first instinct was to reach out to Medtronic Diabetes. The company is based in Los Angeles, and I figured they were already mobilizing on the ground given that many of their employees were personally affected. Within three hours, we secured a budget to get a crew together. A few days later, I traveled to LA and began filming.

Disclaimer: All funding received for this documentary went directly to supporting the production of the film. It was important to both me and our director, fellow T1D Dylan Leonard, that we did not accept compensation from this project.

How the T1D community mobilized during a time of crisis

During the fires, You're Just My Type founder, Laura Pavlakovich, began receiving messages from people who had lost everything. One message stood out: “I lost my house. Can you connect me with someone who has insulin?”

Laura immediately posted a call for supplies on Instagram, and within 24 hours, the post had over 100,000 views.

Volunteers from across the world came to help. Liz, based in New York, created Google Forms to track donations and requests. To no surprise, the T1D community stepped up. More than 500 people from 35 states and three countries sent supplies and the volunteers made over 30 deliveries across LA County in just a week. It was incredible to see how quickly everyone came together to help those in need.

Andrew Bealinfante, a volunteer who also works in disaster relief said it best: “What happens often in the first week of a disaster is that communities mobilize.” That’s exactly what I saw—the T1D community rallying when it mattered most.

Nurses such as Jocelie Luna became fierce advocates, making calls to insurance companies to secure critical supplies for their patients. While Jocelie tirelessly fights for patient access every day, this crisis pushed her into overdrive.

How can T1D’s prepare for the future?

One of the most important lessons from this experience was the need for emergency preparedness. Here are a few takeaways for the T1D community:

1. Create a diabetes emergency kit with at least seven days’ worth of insulin, supplies, snacks, and glucagon.

2. Store backup supplies at a trusted friend’s and family’s homes.

3. Carry more supplies than you think you’ll need.

4. Stay connected to local diabetes support networks—they’re invaluable in a crisis.

Rallying together in crisis: The story of A Community United 

Despite the devastation, the resilience of the T1D community was inspiring. Watching volunteers say, “I’ll do whatever it takes to help,” was humbling beyond words and is a reminder to how supportive this community truly is.

This experience has inspired me to want to tell more stories like this. If you know of a story that needs to be shared, reach out to me on social or Patreon and watch the full documentary here.