My name is Kimberly Ross. I am currently a 17-year old, high school senior who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 11.

I came up with the idea of Safesittings.com when I was 14. At a Diabetes Fundraiser I overheard a couple complain that they had not been able to go out without their three year old daughter for over a year and a half, since she was first diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Unable to find a babysitter who could monitor the dangerous high and low blood sugars, who was willing to test blood sugars, inject insulin, or assume responsibility for managing this life threatening disease, the couple had totally given up trying to get out on their own. I suddenly realized I could help. I had been managing my own diabetes for several years and had all the skills needed to baby-sit. Thus, I founded Safesittings, a Diabetes Babysitting Service whereby teens with Type I diabetes could baby-sit for children with Type I diabetes and give parents a much needed break.

With the help of my school nurse, I publicized the babysitting service at a meeting of the School Nurse's Association in New York City and posters in medical offices. It immediately took off. I formed a network of babysitters who have Type I diabetes and want to put their skills and experience with diabetes to good use.

After Safesittings was described in the Wall Street Journal there were requests from all over the country for help in obtaining babysitters or setting up a similar service. I decided to expand the service to try to meet the need on a national level and developed the Safesittings.com website. The website, which functions like a bulletin board, helps people find babysitters in their own area.