Meet Alicia

Alicia is 12 years old; she lives and attends school here in Orange County. She was referred to Western Youth Services (WYS) by her school counselor about two years ago, she was being bullied at school and we worked with her, her mom, and her school counselor to explore ways to change the situation. 

Shortly after Alicia became a client at WYS, she learned that her best friend, Jayne was diagnosed with diabetes. This was very scary for Alicia, she was concerned for her friend and wanted to understand how she could help. 

Jayne was receiving treatment at the local children’s hospital and attended a special class that provides education to newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients. This program helped Jayne understand the changes and challenges related to her diagnosis as well as how to live a long, happy, and healthy life. She invited Alicia to attend one of the classes and she learned how to support her friend by understanding what she was experiencing.

We were also able to support Alicia through this challenge; she was worried that Jayne might be bullied at school because she had to eat a special diet and had some other restrictions. 

They are both thriving, and Alicia is one of our biggest cheerleaders.

Watch for Alicia to show up often through the RESET Toolbox and on social media too.