Aaron Sherman is about to have a non-traditional 21st birthday. While most people dream about throwing a big, alcohol-filled bash, Sherman is hosting a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for diabetes research.

On May 18, 2014, doctors told Sherman — who is a junior studying public management and a Student Government member at FAU — that he had type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 is rare — only 5 percent of people with diabetes are diagnosed with it. Those with type 1 do not produce insulin, the chemical needed to transfer glucose from the blood to cells for energy.

“As much as I love shots [of insulin], I would prefer not to do them,” wrote Sherman via Facebook.

Sherman’s goal is to raise $2,100 by May 5. He plans to donate the money to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, while also reaching out to the organization to raise awareness for his fundraiser.

So far, he’s raised $240, mostly from friends and neighbors. “Every dollar counts,” Sherman told the University Press, “but it’s free to share it [the fundraiser].”

Sherman found out he had type 1 diabetes the day before his orientation at the University of Central Florida, dramatically changing his plans. His doctor told him he would not be able to leave home for his first semester.

He spends every day in a constant state of “fixing” — he needs to adjust for high and low blood sugar that results from factors such as food intake, stress and exercise.

Sherman also has to take at least one insulin shot per day. He said that taking around five shots within a 24-hour period is normal.

Still, Sherman remains positive.

“I wouldn’t give up diabetes anyway, it [has had] a one hundred percent positive impact.”

For more information on Sherman’s GoFundMe, visit the page here.

Tucker Berardi is a staff writer for the University Press. To contact him regarding this or other stories, he can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.