Since sophomore tennis player Nikola Parichkov was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in October 2022, he said his family has been extremely supportive and it extends onto the tennis court. He said everyone treats him normally, which especially matters to him.
“My parents are more supportive than I could’ve asked for,” Parichkov said. “I’m fortunate on that end because I know some people that have not just diabetes, but any other kind of autoimmune disease and they don't have the support they need to keep pushing forward and feel as though they're still like a normal person.”
When Parichkov received the news, he said he was more surprised than concerned but could also tell the condition was starting to form.
“It was kind of a build up,” Parichkov said. “I wasn’t too frightened or worried by it. It was a bit of a shock.”
Parichkov said he knew he could count on his family for support. He said his grandfather also has Type 1 diabetes and saw how helpful everyone else was around him.
“I grew up around that situation already, and I knew in the back of my head that I'd have support from that side of the family,” Parichkov said.
Parichkov’s support doesn’t only come from his family. He is a member of Dexcom U, a Name, Image, and Likeness organization that exclusively focuses on college athletes living with diabetes. During matches, Parichkov uses a Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor G7 device which tracks his glucose levels during matches and he can check the levels from an app on his phone.
Parichkov said the device is very useful for conserving his energy during matches. He said that it was initially challenging when he first started playing after the diagnosis, but the Dexcom CGM has helped address that issue. While Parichkov said he puts this device on his left arm, he stated it can go anywhere that’s comfortable
“Sometimes my glucose levels would be really high, and I wouldn't be able to eat anything so my energy would drop,” Parichkov said.
When Parichkov isn’t using Dexcom U’s technology to help his performance, he’s involved with their mentorship program. Parichkov said becoming a mentor gives him the platform to share his experience living with diabetes with other athletes who may feel more vulnerable. He said he hopes that stories such as his own can give them the confidence to continue competing in whatever sport they play.
“To the younger generation of athletes, I feel like it’s important to give them the understanding that there's no disadvantage when you go out there just as long as you believe deep down that you can still be the best out there, as long as you put the work in,” Parichkov said. “There’s plenty of support groups out there and we just have to create a better understanding of having Type 1 diabetes.”
Parichkov said his involvement with the organization was also inspired by professional tennis player Alexander Zverev. Parichkov said Zverev’s ability to overcome Type 1 diabetes and be ranked as the world’s fourth ranked tennis player made him realize he could still perform at a high level.
“I was having doubts when things were starting to kick off, but then I saw he was doing it at the highest level and I was like okay, this is not over,” Parichkov said. “That’s why I wanted to join Dexcom U.”
Parichkov said it’s been a great experience to meet other athletes who have similar conditions. He said many of them have lived with diabetes longer than he has, and it’s an opportunity to learn about how they manage their symptoms.
“I got it toward my senior year of high school, but I know some of these people in this group have been dealing with it most of their lives,” Parichkov said. “Hearing some of their stories about how they have dealt with it is huge.”
By hearing people’s personal experience with diabetes, Parichkov said everyone collaborates very well with each other. He said they can come up with beneficial ways to help people with diabetes.
“Being a part of a group like this is perfect to come together and create ideas to reach out to the people that are still struggling,” Parichkov said.
Dexcom U isn’t the only group Parichkov has gotten acclimated to. He is currently a month into his first season at Elon after transferring from Wake Forest University.
Head coach Maciek Skyut described Parichkov’s transition as “seamless” and added that his experience as a member of Wake Forest’s 2025 national championship team is valuable.
“I’ve enjoyed getting to know how he thinks and how he operates,” Skyut said. “We got a great group of people on the team and I think he’s integrated really well with the current roster.”