The WTMJ host reflects on managing type 1 diabetes since childhood as he prepares to emcee a fundraising walk supporting research into better treatments.
Erik Bilstad, a familiar voice on Wisconsin’s Morning News, has spent most of his life managing type 1 diabetes, a lifelong autoimmune condition that was diagnosed when he was seven. In a recent on-air reflection, the WTMJ host described how the illness has shaped his daily routine while still allowing him to build and maintain a healthy life.
Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leaving the body unable to make enough of the hormone needed to move glucose into cells for energy, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition can appear in childhood or adulthood and typically requires ongoing insulin treatment, regular blood sugar checks and careful attention to diet and exercise, with symptoms often including excessive thirst, frequent urination and unexplained weight loss.
Bilstad is also preparing to serve as emcee at the Breakthrough T1D Walk at Greenfield Park in West Allis on Saturday, October 17. The event will raise money for research through JDRF, the nonprofit formerly known by that acronym, which says its mission is to accelerate treatments and ultimately find ways to prevent, manage and cure type 1 diabetes. That research effort remains important because, as the NIDDK and Harvard Health note, the disease is chronic and requires lifelong management even with modern therapies.
The walk also highlights how people with type 1 diabetes often become advocates as well as patients, using their own experiences to draw attention to the demands of the disease and the need for better tools. Mayo Clinic says treatment commonly includes insulin injections or an insulin pump alongside continued monitoring, while researchers continue to look for earlier intervention and more durable therapies. For Bilstad, the event is both personal and practical: a chance to share his story and help support the next generation of progress.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
