John Hanley: My Experience at Children’s Congress

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By John Hanley, age 15

John (second from left) with Barbara Boxer.
John (second from left) with Barbara Boxer.

Hi, my name is John Hanley and I participated in the 2015 JDRF Children’s Congress as a California delegate. Beforehand, I had some expectations about how fun it would be. After, I came to realize that my expectations were far exceeded. Children’s Congress was an amazing experience and I had so much fun meeting people from all over the country and a few international delegates as well.

One of my best and most favorite memories was getting paired up with Jack Stuart from Canada. I had briefly talked to him on social media prior to meeting him in D.C. Right when I met him I knew we would get along very well. Within half an hour of meeting, we were already making jokes with each other and getting along great. My family and his even went out to dinner together the last night. Since Children’s Congress ended, I have talked to Jack almost every day.

at hearingProbably the best and most memorable experience of the week was being able to sit in on the Congressional hearing. It was so cool being able to walk around in the government buildings and meet with local senators and representative’s offices, and be able to see everything that goes on in the buildings.

John (right) with new friends.
John (right) with new friends.

Another great memory from Children’s Congress was the town hall panel meeting. This is where all the celebrities come and answer questions about how they manage their diabetes in their lives. This was very interesting to hear because I got to hear real life tips and stories from people like me. Brandon Denson, who plays football in the Canadian Football League, said that he wears his pump during practice and even games. He says that he found a way to put his pump in between the blades of his shoulder pads, stuck in there with Velcro. This made me realize that maybe I could find a similar way to wear my pump when I play football. Also, hearing these celebrities talk about some of their personal tricks to get through everyday life a little bit easier was really cool. Overall, JDRF Children’s Congress was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.