Times Up Type 1 sparks diabetes talks

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

After watching two family members get diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and learning how to deal with the disease, two local young women have taken it upon themselves to raise both awareness and money to help combat the disease and end the stigma that follows it.
Started on World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14, 2018, Times Up Type 1, the non-profit clothing brand, recently held their first anniversary celebrating all that was accomplished through an idea and the feeling of wanting to do more.
Neve Raycroft and Isabel Cook, two Grade 12 students at Strathmore High School (SHS), dealt first-hand with watching each of their brothers become diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and not knowing what they could do to help.
“I didn’t really fully understand (the disease) but once seeing my little brother Sam go through it, it just broke my heart at first … it was just frustrating knowing what he was going through and that I couldn’t really do anything to help him,” said Cook.
The two girls were having a slumber party and were talking about how both brothers had the same disease when they decided they needed to do something to help raise money to find a cure or to find better technology. The idea of a bake sale or a dance was considered before they settled on creating a clothing brand where all the profits would be donated – a non-profit that would have more longevity regarding raising money and getting people talking about it.
The striking logo was created before the name was even locked down, and Times Up Type 1, with the logo of a circled T^T1 was soon dawning t-shirts, hoodies, crew necks and hats.
What started as an idea that the young ladies figured only their friend’s circle and family members would support, soon the halls of SHS were filled with students sporting the apparel. Although Strathmore is where most sales are made, orders have also come in from other provinces.
During the non-profit’s first anniversary on Nov. 14, over 50 SHS students wore their branded clothing for a group picture.
“We wanted a logo that would look cool on t-shirts and it also springs questions from people too, because they’ll ask ‘what does your shirt mean’ and that’s a good conversation starter too,” said Cook, who added that the creative name took longer to settle on than the logo.
“We want Type 1 diabetes to be over, time’s up for it, the name just kind of flows nicely and people talk about it and want to buy it,” said Raycroft.
She added that she has had more open conversations with people about Type 1 diabetes and that she has learned a lot about the disease and has been able to help other people learn as well.
The initiative has raised just over $3,000 so far and all profits are donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Calgary.
Cook and Raycroft partnered with Times Two Promotions in Calgary, who supply the logo apparel at cost, and who have also helped them build a website and get started.
They said the hardest part was getting started, building their logo, creating their website and finding out how to run a successful non-profit at only 16 years of age. But what they’ve learned from their venture, such as being able to teach others more about Type 1 diabetes and opening conversations about the generally not-talked-about subject, has been more than worth it.
“Our end goal, even if it’s not necessarily a cure, but even if it will improve the technology to make it better. This makes you think about the perks of being in a small town – people have been so great at spreading the word and showing support to us; getting involved with this and starting conversations with people about it. (It) makes a hard thing into something positive,” said Cook.
For more information, to donate to JDRF or to order your apparel, email timesuptype1@gmail.com, check out their Instagram account at timesuptype1 or visit their website at timesuptype1.wixsite.com/website-1.
One week of every month the online store shuts down to process orders. If you cannot find and purchase the items you are wanting, please either wait a week for the website to get back up and running, or send the non-profit an email with what you are interested in and you can make your orders directly through the young entrepreneurs.
“We just want to make it as easy for our brothers as possible. The more people know about Type 1 diabetes, the less they feel like they’re doing it on their own,” said Raycroft. “We want to help as much as we can.”