Adult with Diabetes - Betsy Ray, Colorado

Betsy just seems like one of those people who eats life. I literally only had about 3 minutes with her, but her energy and focus just shine. She's had diabetes for 43 years (!), and is now working on a master's degree in psychology "to serve as a resource to newly-diagnosed children with diabetes." She says her whole family was touched by diabetes, and explains her inborn desire to help others in her winning essay called "The Journey."

"Diabetes has grown my spirit in a way that no normal life ever could... It is so far beyond what I was told my life would be that I can only respond to the people I meet by telling them ‘Anything is possible. You are on a journey. How you define it is up to you," she wrote in her moving poem. Take a read:

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These people are truly inspirational. No arguments there. I heard their stories of struggling with diabetes, and I felt happy to count them as my diabetic kin.

And it was Yamin who put it all in perspective: "I just wish more people would step up and do more. We need to get away from these misconceptions about diabetes... Doing this competition is cool because it gives other people a way to identify.