What is The Sidetracked Parent?

The Sidetracked Parent is a website and community born out of a need for one family to share what they had learned about being rare disease parents. They also wanted other parents to know they were not alone in their journey. While we may have been sidetracked from our original idea of parenthood, we can learn to navigate this world together.

Recent Blog Posts

7 Ways to Advocate and Support Friends and Family with a Rare Disease

7 Ways to Advocate and Support Friends and Family with a Rare Disease

by Christy Vacchio
I had a question from one of my friends today so I thought I would address it in a blog post. This person asked me, "What is the best way for me to...
Advocacy Caregivers Rare Disease Special Needs Parenting
Rare Disease Day 2023

Rare Disease Day 2023

by Christy Vacchio

Every year since 2008, Rare Disease Day is celebrated all around the world. Since February 29th is the "rarest day" on the calendar, it was chosen for that date. Most years, like this year, it is celebrated on February 28th instead. It was created by EURODIS and the Council of National Alliances to spread global awareness and bring rare diseases to the spotlight. I have been celebrating it for the last several years to bring the spotlight to my own kids' rare disease, Neonatal Diabetes.

August: Our Family's Diaversary Month

August: Our Family's Diaversary Month

by Christy Vacchio
For every parent, the birth of their child is a significant month. But for the parent of a child with a rare disease, or a significant diagnosis, the month of diagnosis is also a time that is forever remembered. For some, especially in the diabetes world, we call this our "Diaversary". August is always a hard month for us because both of our children were diagnosed with a rare form of diabetes that month. Neonatal Diabetes
4 month old with diabetes Andy Andy's Story babies with dabetes DEND syndrome Glyburide Katie monogenic diabetes Neonatal Diabetes Rare Disease research Special Needs Parenting
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Two children with rare neonatal diabetes brother and sister diagnosed with diabetes in infancy living with rare type of diabetes 2 babies with diabetes

A Rare Pair

While neonatal diabetes is rare and occurs in about 1 in every 400,000 live births in the United States, it is usually a "de novo" mutation, meaning it happens randomly. Our family somehow lucked out with 2. We may be rare, but we want to help as many other families as we can navigate the road in any way we can. 

Read More on Our Blog: Adventures in Kandyland

Original Drawing of the Monogenic Ribbon

Christy's mother was an artist and one day when she was visiting, they started coming up with an idea for a monogenic diabetes ribbon after being inspired by a breast cancer ribbon using a DNA strand

Mutated Gene in a DNA Strand

The inspiration for the red line came from several pictures on the internet depicting a red line in the DNA helix strand to represent a single genetic mutation.

Diabetes Awareness Ribbon

The blue and grey colors and the red drop of blood come from the diabetes awareness ribbon. Since it is still a form of diabetes, we wanted to show that connection. After all, we do still have to test blood sugars, even if some of us don't have to check quite as often.

Monogenic Neonatal Diabetes Awareness Ribbon

The final product was just putting it into a digital image so we could use it to create some of the products you see here in the store. We may not always use the ribbon on all of our products, but it is what got everything started so it is the beginning of our story. Now we have the ability to customize the ribbon for you/your child's rare disease. Just contact us if you want a customized ribbon.