Stargirl actress Brec Bassinger was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 8. The actress’s family has been supportive of her during her combat with the disease.

Family's Support While Fighting Diabetes

In her 2018 interview with HealthLine, the Bella and The Bulldogs star shared her diabetes story and how she was diagnosed.

Brec revealed that January 22 was the date she first got diagnosed with the disease. Recalling the events that led her to get a check-up for T1D, the actress mentioned that her mother, Stella, was the first person to figure that something was wrong with her. 

It all started when Brec was on a trip with her parents — her grandma and mother. Luckily, the three were together in a hotel room when the actress began showing symptoms of illness.

Stella knew something was off about her daughter. Wasting no time, she took to the internet for help, only to figure her symptoms matched that of T1D.

After this, Stella took Brec to the hospital. There, the doctors confirmed her guesses as Brec was officially diagnosed with the illness.

At the time, the actress was too young to understand her situation and what T1D was. Following her diagnosis, she had to spend five days at the hospital.

Brec also revealed her family to be her biggest support system. “My family was and has always been very supportive, telling me I can do everything I could do before and that diabetes won’t stop me,” said the actress.

The Face of T1D Looks Like Me Campaign

Apart from being an on-screen superhero, the young actress is also an ambassador for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF, since 2016.

She also was the face of JDRF’s T1D Looks Like Me Campaign in 2015 and 2018.

In her interview with Diabetes self-management on November 12, 2018, the actress revealed she had been a JDRF ambassador for two years.

Star Girl added JDRF has been an important part of her life, not only because it focuses on Diabetic research but also because of the feeling of belongingness it had given her over the years.

JDRF has allowed me to meet so many other people with diabetes and not feel like I am alone. It is so cool to meet other people who completely understand what you go through on a day-to-day basis.