Sierra Sandison didn't come to Miss America with diabetes awareness as her pageant platform.
But in the weeks leading up to the pageant and in recent days here at the competition in Atlantic City, Miss Idaho has found herself talking about it all the time.
Sandison, 20, of Twin Falls, Idaho, and was diagnosed at 18 as a type 1 diabetic. She wears an insulin pump, which has been visible during the pageant preliminaries as a small rectangle clipped to her swimsuit and evening gown.
It's been the most notable Miss America accessory since last year's large tattoo on Theresa Vail, Miss Kansas 2013, who became the first contestant to show off her ink on the Miss America stage.
"Since I've won Miss Idaho, I have now kind of adopted a new, unofficial platform, which is diabetes," says Sandison, who plans to get her MBA and own her own business someday, if not become a CEO of a company.
Sandison wore an insulin pump during the evening wear competition at Miss America preliminaries last night. She's had the device on for the whole competition thus far, and says it affords her the chance to spread diabetes awareness while clearing up some confusion. (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Sandison's pageant talent is vocal performance and her actual pageant platform is "Possibilities for Disabilities."
In Idaho, she helps run sports camps for students with disabilities, but sees a connection between that mission and diabetes — even though there's something different about those students, it shouldn't hold them back, she says.
"I get to show young women and everyone that if they have a so-called flaw that the media tells them makes them less beautiful, it's not true," Sandison says. "It just makes them unique."
Because her insulin pump has been apparent and she's openly talked about diabetes, some have misguidedly, Sandison says, criticized her for even being a diabetic in the limelight.
Miss Idaho, a type 1 diabetic, wears an insulin pump during the 'Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit' competition at Miss America preliminaries. (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
"There were some negative comments, such as, 'Oh, Miss Idaho is glamorizing diabetes, kids are going to be running to the grocery store buying sodas and candy so they can get diabetes, too,' which is completely ridiculous because Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and we have no control over whether or not we develop it," she says.
"It's genetic, but aside from that, they do not know what triggers it."
Some of those who have wrongly assumed Sandison is a type 2 diabetic have spoken about her in a "hurtful" way, she says. Even if she was a type 2 diabetic, it'd be the wrong way to go, Sandison says.
"If you have a loved one with type 2 diabetes, approach them with love and compassion and empathy and help them try to get on a healthier lifestyle," she says. "Do not attack them."
Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup. Find our entertainment coverage and NJ.com on Facebook.