A Florida State University student is one of 400 people around the world to receive a Diana Award, created in memory of the late Princess of Wales to recognize youth advocacy or humanitarian work.
Emmabella Rudd, a public health major from Sarasota, won the award for her work supporting causes related to type 1 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at age 5.
Rudd said she was excited and humbled by the recognition.
“I have worked for the last 14 years of my life to find a cure,” she said. “It’s my passion. I’m always working on something related to it, whether it’s fundraising, drafting laws, or educating communities that don’t have education about it.
Since his diagnosis, Rudd has volunteered countless hours with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She has organized fundraisers, support groups, and addressed Congress on behalf of diabetes research. To date, his efforts have helped raise awareness and more than $ 350,000 for diabetes research.
“It can be difficult to make changes,” she said. “When something like this happens, you feel like you are being seen. The prize is an incentive to keep working, to keep moving forward.
Rudd is entering his third year at FSU and is on track to graduate early. She plans to pursue a master’s degree and a law degree, followed by a career advocating for the rights of under-represented people.
The Diana Award, presented by the charity of the same name, was created in memory of Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, and is supported by the sons of Diana, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, and the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry. .
Due to travel restrictions linked to the pandemic, Rudd said she would miss the opportunity to meet the princes and other award recipients at an in-person ceremony, but said it was a small disappointment when it considers the cause which animates it.
Her work continued on campus and throughout Tallahassee, as Rudd is Director of the Office of Government Affairs of the Student Government Association, where she advocates and represents student interests in the state legislature. .
Finding a cure for type 1 diabetes has been at the forefront of Rudd’s work, while also educating and reminding people that the disease does not discriminate and that anyone at any age can develop.
The price of insulin is at the top of her list of concerns right now.
“My perspective has grown and my understanding has shifted from fundraising to education, advocacy and seeing all we can do by working with local and federal officials,” she said. declared. “Insulin costs a lot, a lot less to manufacture than what is billed for. It is the rise in prices. So we are working with lawmakers to make it affordable. ”
Rudd added, “We’re focused on finding a cure, yes, but we’re also focusing on why we can’t afford the drugs and supplies. We cannot save lives without focusing on the present.
Rudd intends to use multiple platforms to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes. With that in mind, he entered the Miss Florida USA pageant on July 17th.
“This is my first time participating in a competition,” she said. “I’m Miss South Tallahassee, and I carry this issue and this plea with me. I aspire to inspire others to become agents of change in their communities.
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