Dear Editor,

I felt I needed to write you because of all the press you do on Nick Jonas. I am the mother of a nine-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with type 1 five months ago. I won't describe the horrendous day we found out, but I want to say that I did not want any of the doctors or nurses to say the word “diabetes.” I was so fearful that my daughter would completely fall apart (even more than she already had). I knew she knew what diabetes was because she is a huge fan of Nick Jonas.

Of course, in no time at all, the doctor dropped the "D" word and I braced myself for my daughter’s fear and dismay. Instead, she surprised me with her response. She paralleled herself to Nick and felt comforted knowing that he lives a great life and doesn't look like he suffers from day to day. From that day on, she has had an amazing strength, again that is constantly compared to Nick. He gave her a coping mechanism.

She has to have the same dog tag medical ID, and she has an Omnipod that she just had to have because Nick has it.

But there’s a down side, too. My daughter has dreams of hearing from Nick, getting support from him, and even meeting him. As a mother, of course I want my daughter’s dreams to come true. I realize that the world doesn't work the way a kid would like it to, but she’s been through so much, and I tried everything I could think of to get a "keep up the good work" email from him. I emailed his fan club (which we belong to), but I had no success.

I wish that Nick Jonas had a form letter that his people could send out to kids who contact him after they have been diagnosed with diabetes.

I am a parent of a crushed little girl who has put her faith in him, and I am left with nothing else to tell her. I explained to her that he is on tour right now, has a full time job, is a teenager, and…is dealing with having diabetes himself. But you know what kids are like. She doesn’t really understand.

I am not looking for handouts from Jonas or any special treatment because of my daughter’s diagnosis, but I would so appreciate a simple letter, even one that is sent out to every other child experiencing the challenge of diabetes. I don't think for a second that that should be asking too much. I am writing this letter to Diabetes Health because you have given him lots of publicity, and I wanted you to know how I felt and what our experience has been. By doing this, I feel like I am somehow doing justice for my very heartbroken daughter.

A let down mom,
Kristen Westbrook