Meet our Founder

My name is Staci DePatie and I have been a Type 1 Diabetic for over 31 years. I was diagnosed my first month of college at UC Irvine. At that time I was very overwhelmed with learning these tools of survival like getting educated on how to take insulin injections, testing my blood sugar 8 times a day, calculating the amount of food intake to insulin ratio, struggling with the unpredictable blood sugar lows and highs and so much more to manage this disease. I always remained optimistic when taking control of this condition and at times embracing this alone. Thankfully with advanced medical technology, enduring T1D is easier, but indeed it is not the cure.

My name is Staci DePatie and I have been a Type 1 Diabetic for over 31 years. I was diagnosed my first month of college at UC Irvine.

At that time I was very overwhelmed with learning these tools of survival like getting educated on how to take insulin injections, testing my blood sugar 8 times a day, calculating the amount of food intake to insulin ratio, struggling with the unpredictable blood sugar lows and highs and so much more to manage this disease.

I always remained optimistic when taking control of this condition and at times embracing this alone. Thankfully with advanced medical technology, enduring T1D is easier, but indeed it is not the cure.

With that being said, my passion of helping others ignited my idea of developing entertaining games to learn about this condition and creating a self-reflection platform for other T1D's and their loved ones. I truly believe that if you empower yourself by embracing your condition, then ultimately you will be more confident when managing T1D. To make this a reality, I have had the opportunity to work with the UC Irvine Computer Science Capstone Program that has coded for the main parts of the GLUKI App and one of the games. It has been full circle for me as they not only saved my life when I was diagnosed, but they understood my vision and made it into a reality.

With that being said, my passion of helping others ignited my idea of developing entertaining games to learn about this condition and creating a self-reflection platform for other T1D's and their loved ones.

I truly believe that if you empower yourself by embracing your condition, then ultimately you will be more confident when managing T1D.

To make this a reality, I have had the opportunity to work with the UC Irvine Computer Science Capstone Program that has coded for the main parts of the GLUKI App and one of the games. It has been full circle for me as they not only saved my life when I was diagnosed, but they understood my vision and made it into a reality.

B.A. in Sociology at UCI

Taught K-3rd for 11 years

Taught K-3rd for 11 years

Master Degree in Education at LMU

Master Degree in Education at LMU

The Story Behind GLUKI

My Struggle

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 18 with a blood sugar of over 1000 (a normal range is 70-120)!

  • More than 3 days at the hospital, I had to learn how to survive: give injections, test blood sugar, and measure food

  • These new skills were overwhelming and intimidating

  • I started to ask, “Is there a better way to learn about this condition?”

The TRUTH About Diabetes

Type 1

  • Body completely stops taking insulin

  • Daily injections are needed to survive

  • Can develop at any age, but usually in children or young children

  • Not always caused by genetics. Can be caused by a virus or bacteria infection that attacks the immune system

  • Type 1 can be misdiagnosed leading to greater implications

  • There are 1.84 Million Type 1-s in the U.S. and 64,000 are diagnosed every year

vs.

vs.

Type 2

  • The body still produces insulin but inefficiently, which could cause blood sugars to become unstable

  • Occurs in those over the age of 40, typically those with family history of Type 2

  • Becoming more prevalent with children who are struggling with eating healthy and not exercising

  • Through diet, it can be manageable and even reversible at times

  • There are 34 million Type 2's in the U.S. and 1.4 million are diagnosed every year

Now that we've explored the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, it's important to understand the signs of Type 1. Since it often develops in children and young adults, recognizing the symptoms early can make a big difference in managing the condition.

Now that we've explored the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, it's important to understand the signs of Type 1. Since it often develops in children and young adults, recognizing the symptoms early can make a big difference in managing the condition.

  • Dehydrated and
    Thirsty
  • High Blood
    Sugar
  • Frequent Bathroom Visits
  • Loss of Weight
  • Showing Signs of Confusion
  • Blurry Vision
  • High Ketones
  • Could be In High Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
  • Needs Immediate Medical Attention
  • Dehydrated and
    Thirsty
  • High Blood
    Sugar
  • Frequent Bathroom Visits
  • Loss of Weight
  • Showing Signs of Confusion
  • Blurry Vision
  • High Ketones
  • Could be In High Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
  • Needs Immediate Medical Attention

Here's a closer look at the challenges
faced when dealing with Type 1 Diabetes:

Educational Challenges

  • Type 1 Diabetes education is inconsistent across the board

  • Lack of education in the school setting

  • Lack of Pediatric Endocrinologists, thus making your own decisions

Daily Life Challenges

  • Managing unstable blood sugars

  • Unstable blood sugars over time could lead to extensive health complications

  • Dealing with surrounding misconceptions

  • Very expensive disease

  • Emotionally draining