The Familial Web of T1D

T1D first entered the Reinert family when Nannie’s husband David was diagnosed at 39 years old. Nannie and David had no idea what this disease was and how to manage it. David learned completely by trial and error. Five years later their youngest daughter, Evelyn Beth, was diagnosed with T1D at 4 years old.

Advocacy Begins at Home

Nannie’s advocacy began before she truly even knew that was what she was doing soon after her daughter, Evelyn Beth’s, diagnosis. She and David just wanted to know their daughter could safely continue school. So they worked with the daycare owner and staff for months training them so Evelyn Beth could continue going to school. Unfortunately, after months of training on their first day without the parents present, they allowed Evelyn Beth to go so low she could have seized. That was her last day as they refused to use the training they had been given or make further accommodations. They then found a private Christian school that was aware of Evelyn Beth’s diagnosis and willing to be trained and to allow her to attend. Evelyn attended this school for one year and then the private Christian school denied her the ability to continue for her kindergarten year solely because of her T1D.

In the wake of that discrimination, Nannie began working with the public school district to ensure they were prepared to care for Evelyn Beth in kindergarten. Shockingly, the school district had a policy not to follow the students with T1D. After months of meetings with the district, advocacy, and meetings with Evelyn Beth’s medical team and the district, Nannie and her husband finally got the district to change their policy for pre-k and kindergarteners to be followed. Evelyn Beth was given the accommodation under her 504 plan for kindergarten. As kindergarten concluded, once again Nannie had to advocate for Evelyn Beth’s rights to continue to be followed. While Nannie and David are grateful that they were able to convince the district to maintain Evelyn Beth’s follow accommodation for 1st grade, they shouldn't have to fight each year for her the inherent rights provided to them under the American’s with Disabilities Act and 504 Regulations.

FOLLOWT1Ds

Nannie’s continuous advocacy to the schools to keep her daughter with T1D safe, has given her a passion to continue her advocacy until every student with T1D has the choice to be followed at school. Nannie took on the role of Digital Engagement Coordinator at FOLLOWT1Ds from the very start, driving the organization’s digital strategy since its launch in July 2023. As an advisory board member, she also provides crucial guidance and strategic insights, particularly in digital engagement and advocacy, making her one of the key voices in shaping the organization’s goals and impact.