After being diagnosed at 10, Alex Tolwinski built an online following by using comedy and candour to help people with Type 1 diabetes feel less isolated.
Alex Tolwinski spent years feeling like the odd one out after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, but the Wisconsin native has since turned that isolation into a public platform. Writing online as Type1Alexx, he has built an audience around comedy, candour and practical awareness of a condition that affects every part of daily life.
Speaking to WTMJ’s Wis. Morning News, Tolwinski said the diagnosis was difficult to absorb as a child. “It was hard. I felt alone,” he said. “You feel different than every other kid.” Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body stops producing insulin, the hormone needed to control blood sugar. It is distinct from Type 2 diabetes, although the two are often confused.
Tolwinski said his outlook changed only after he reached UW-Madison and realised there were other students living with the same condition. He described meeting another student at a party who was wearing a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, a device that tracks blood sugar levels in real time. That brief encounter, he said, helped him understand he was not alone and prompted him to start posting more seriously on social media.
One of his early videos, in which he theatrically threw his diabetes supplies into a bin and announced he was giving up the condition, drew more than 1 million likes and 7 million views. Tolwinski said the response showed there was an audience for humorous, relatable Type 1 diabetes content. As his profile grew, so did the messages from people who saw themselves in his posts, including parents seeking advice and reassurance.
That wider appetite for connection reflects a broader shift in how people with Type 1 diabetes are finding support. Beyond Type 1 offers a free app with stories, advice and peer messaging in English and Spanish. Other groups, including ConnecT1D, Type1 Unbound, PureT1D, the Tyler Type One Diabetes Foundation and T1D Mod Squad, also focus on meet-ups, family support and practical education. Tolwinski is now extending that same sense of community through his involvement in the 2026 Breakthrough T1D Walk in Greenfield, continuing to push for awareness and research while helping others feel less alone.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
