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In 2022, Tristan Wakefield discovered that Dexcom — a company which helps diabetics monitor their glucose — partnered with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, whose wife is a Type 1 Diabetic, to announce the first-ever NIL program for college athletes with diabetes. As a Division I athlete with Type 1 Diabetes, Wakefield felt it was a perfect opportunity for him.

Wakefield applied and conducted a 30-minute interview for the program a few weeks later. After Wakefield was accepted, he became one of 20 Dexcom U athletes, spanning across 10 sports.

Despite being a Type 1 diabetic, Wakefield didn’t let the disease get in the way of his passion for sports. He started rowing when he was in eighth grade, continuing at Bettendorf High School (Iowa) before joining Syracuse’s squad. In two seasons with the Orange, Wakefield has raced at the Princeton Chase, Lake Morey Invitational and won gold at the Eastern Sprints in the V4+.

When he was 7, Wakefield had trouble staying focused in school, often leaving class to go to the bathroom. His mom, Kimberly, who works as a nurse, took him to the doctor after hearing about his troubles.

Wakefield was soon diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, a disease that affects 1.4 million people in the United States, including over 350,000 kids under 20 years old.

“(Kimberly) could see what my whole life was going to be like with diabetes just at that moment because she was a nurse,” Wakefield said. “I was just a child. I had no idea what to expect or what was gonna happen.”

A study by Dexcom found that 43% of adults with Type 1 diabetes wanted to quit their participation in sports and physical activities after their diagnosis. Yet a week after going to the endocrinologist, Wakefield played in his local flag football league.

“It was the first instance where everything seemed normal,” Wakefield said.

In high school, Wakefield started to row for the YMCA Quad Cities, located on the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois. Wakefield fell in love with the sport and relished how boat members must work together to make the boat go. He eventually represented the USA in the Junior Men’s 2x at the World Rowing Under 19 & Under 23 Championships.

For Wakefield, there’s no set process to deal with his diabetes while rowing. He uses Dexcom’s Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) device to manage his glucose levels. During training, SU’s training and coaching staff monitor his level using the Dexcom Follow App.

To train with the team during their afternoon practice, Wakefield tries to eat lunch about two hours before training, along with a small snack like a granola bar or fruit snacks to keep his glucose levels maintained for practice.

If his glucose level isn’t optimal, he can’t train.

“Any time my glucose level isn’t in the target range of 80 to 180 (mg/dl), I can’t practice,” Wakefield said. “I do my best to prevent this from happening, but sometimes it can be unavoidable. If this occurs, I have to wait until my glucose level is at right then I am able to workout.”

When he was first diagnosed, Wakefield didn’t know anybody else with diabetes, but he yearned for a role model. That’s when he discovered the Chris Dudley Foundation.

Founded in 1994 by former NBA player and diabetic Chris Dudley — who became the first NBA player with Type 1 Diabetes — the Chris Dudley Foundation aims to empower youth with Type 1 Diabetes by providing them with resources, camps and education.

One week every summer, kids ages 10-17 with Type 1 diabetes travel to Vernonia, Oregon, for the Chris Dudley Basketball Camp. Wakefield was a camper for five years before becoming a staff member this past summer.

“He wasn’t even nervous. I remember my first year on staff. I was so nervous,” said Ka’iulani Faris, a full-time assistant with the foundation. “He always had the biggest smile on his face.”

Faris recalls one day when Wakefield’s blood sugar was super high, but he still interacted with campers and was “his usual self.” Usually, when your blood sugar rises, you want to “crawl into bed and sleep,” Faris said. Yet, Wakefield continued his day.

For Wakefield and others, the camp allows people to connect with people who consider themselves “The Lucky Few.” The CBDC camp song was written by former CBDC camper and staff member Tyler Byrne.

“I was diagnosed in 1998 and attended the camp for the first time that summer. The camp really changed my outlook on living with (Type 1 Diabetes),” Byrne said. “I felt extremely lucky to find that sense of community.”

From working as a counselor to competing for the IRA National Championship at Syracuse, Wakefield refuses to let diabetes hinder him.

“You don’t have to let it hold you back. Just make sure you’re doing everything possible to put yourself in a good position to succeed,” Wakefield said.

Published on March 4, 2024 at 11:12 pm

Contact Quinn: qdpostma@syr.edu