Imagine a family member - a young man, a husband, a father - deteriorating behind prison bars due to lack of proper diabetes management. This is the harsh reality for my nephew, whose health has been on the decline since he was incarcerated. My boy whom I love, struggling every day with the lack of proper care for his brittle Type 1 diabetes in prison because he made a mistake at a young age.

Type 1 diabetes is a fact of life for many, including prisoners who are reliant on the prison medical staff for care. About 80,000 of over 2 million prisoners in the U.S are diabetic (source: American Diabetes Association). This accounts for around 4% of the total U.S prison population. But the medical staff cannot always provide the care these prisoners desperately need for various reasons, such as workload, supplies, support and lack of specialized training.

This lack of care poses an increased health risk for the diabetic prisoners, but it also burdens tax payers. Prison health care is taxpayer-funded, and as the demand for care increases due to consequences of poor management, so does the financial toll.

Insulin pumps for inmates could take a lot of that burden away. It has been proven that insulin pumps improve the quality of life for diabetics and significantly reduce complications (source: Diabetes UK). If these pumps were provided to inmates who needed them, it would help them manage their blood glucose accurately, reducing hospitalizations and related costs.

In my nephew's plight, I see an urgent need. That's why I am starting this petition to ask the prison system to provide insulin pumps to Type 1 diabetics. We need to acknowledge that every person in prison is someone's loved one, just like my nephew is to me. And every single one of them deserves the right to manage their health, no matter their mistakes.

Please sign this petition to urge the prison system to take this critical step. This isn't just about lowering costs; it's about treating people with dignity and compassion. Because remember, we are all just a decision away from being in their shoes. It's time for change; it's time for action.