Kilty McGowan, Senior Software Engineer
by Melissa Lee, Director Community Relations,
April 13, 2016
Kilty McGowan, Senior Software Engineer
Diagnosed at age three, I don't remember much about living without diabetes. With a motto of "Diabetes sucks, but I'm the boss!", my family kept a healthy attitude. At a young age, I decided I wanted to grow up to become what I called a "scientist doctor" so that I could cure diabetes. As I grew older, I discovered my academic interests were not in medical research, but in math and computer science. Now working as a software engineer, I am passionate about applying my skills, experience and strong work ethic towards improving the lives of those living with Type 1 Diabetes.
I've never really been frustrated by the pokes, or even by maintenance tasks like changing pump sites, reservoirs, lancets or glucose sensors. For me, the biggest challenge with T1D has always been in the 24/7 task of managing my glucose levels. The constant attention this requires is tiring alone, but it also comes with a reminder that not paying attention can be dangerous, both in the short and long term. There's a certain self-inflicted guilt that comes with T1D that I believe is hard for non-PWDs to understand.
I believe in Bigfoot because it is filled with people who both understand the cognitive burden of living with T1D, and are committed to (if not personally invested in) reducing that burden. I believe in Bigfoot because we’re working toward a solution that will tremendously improve the quality of life for me and my loved ones.