Pediatric patients from Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston living with type 1 diabetes were treated to an unforgettable experience with rising country star Eric Paslay, who was in Boston for his Angels In This Town tour.

Paslay, whose hits include “Friday Night” and “She Don’t Love You” and also wrote “Rewind” for Rascal Flatts, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 10 years old.  He treated a group of pediatric patients, their parents and some care providers from Joslin to a special private meeting with him at the House of Blues right before hitting the stage.

eric-paslay-joslin-diabetes-center-with-danielle-handler
Eric Paslay with Danielle Handler

They spoke about their shared experiences as teens living with type 1 diabetes and even compared glucose numbers with one patient who had the same Dexcom monitor as him. He always checks his blood sugar before going on stage, and he was happy to report his number was “perfect”.  Paslay told Joslin’s Dr. Michelle Katz how he wanted to be an endocrinologist until he was about 18 years old and decided to pursue his career in music instead.

The Joslin pediatric patients were thrilled to attend the concert, courtesy of Dexcom. Paslay, who keeps a glass of orange juice on the drum riser in case his blood sugar starts to dip, uses Dexcom’s continuous glucose monitor to manage his blood sugars while performing. His wife and other members of his team can monitor his blood sugar level remotely while he is performing to watch out for trouble.

Paslay’s story inspired the patients, and their families and friends, with his personal example of how you can control your diabetes and live your dream.

For over a hundred years, Joslin Diabetes Center has led the way worldwide in diabetes research and clinical care for children and adults.  “We are truly blown away by Eric’s kindness. His willingness to spend one-on-one time with our young patients and really bond with them tonight about his own experiences with type 1 diabetes meant so much to them and all of us here at Joslin Diabetes Center who devote our lives to finding a cure.”  – Dr. Michelle Katz, Joslin Diabetes Center

For more information on Joslin Diabes Center, please visit joslin.org.

Keep up with Eric Paslay by visiting his Official Website, and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.