13-year-old Carolyn Jäger was in the cafeteria at school when she heard a loud beeping sound and sighed. Her blood sugar was low. Embarrassed, she ducked toward her backpack and did her best to secretly pull out the ugly black medical pouch inside to check her blood sugar. When she finally retrieved it, she heard snickering behind her and sighed. It was hard to fit in when she had to carry that thing everywhere. Sensing her daily frustration, her mother soon handed her a hand-sewn, pink bag with a cute green turtle on the front. Carolyn strode confidently into school the next day.
After years with no pretty alternatives for the one in ten people diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, Jäger decided to take matters into her own hands. In 2009 with two boys underfoot she designed her own colorful case for her diabetes equipment. A year later, Sugar Medical was born and her first case was released in five colors. Today Sugar Medical is one of the biggest of the few diabetes accessories brands on the market. They have branched out into backpacks, purses, and travel bags in a variety of fun patterns and chic styles as well as fun cases and stickers to decorate the insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors worn by those with T1D. Since diabetics have to carry a boatload of supplies everywhere, whether it be a short walk around the block or a trip to New Mexico, these fashionable and functional bags fill a noticeable gap in the market.
Not only is Sugar Medical innovative in its goal of creating more personalized products, but they are innovative in how the products are created. Each bag is specially designed with diabetics in mind, including pockets and places for each item a T1D has to tote around. Insulin is the main treatment a diabetic receives and often comes in small glass bottles that have to be kept at a certain temperature. Because of this, many bags are insulated or have a protective slot for insulin. Bags even include a built-in, mini trash can for needles and test stripes, things diabetics often need to discard safely as they are used to administer insulin or test blood glucose.
Carolyn Jäger’s story is inspiring because she used the resources she had available combined with her intimate knowledge of the problems related to the current cases for T1D supplies to create an innovative, creative case to help those with type 1 diabetes. Her products are extremely functional and customized to the needs of diabetics, leaving no room for problems or compromise by the customer. Her story and the way her mom played a role in her idea demonstrate her entrepreneurial spirit and shows that seemingly small hunches can become profitable endeavors.
This is so ridiculous that Carolyn even had to experience the need for these bags, like why would you laugh at someone’s diabetes equipment!?
Anyways, I still love the innovation on her part. Instead of being sad about her situation, she came up with a fun solution.
I think it’s cool too that, since Carolyn is actually someone with diabetes, she is able to create bags tailored to the specific equipment she knows diabetic people like her need.