Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor opened up for the first time about her struggle with diabetes Tuesday.

Seeking to provide inspiration to children who also suffer from the disease the justice told the children diabetes should not hinder your goals.

At a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation event, Sotomayor told crowd of children who like her have type-1 diabetes that she was just 7 years old when doctors realized she had the disease. Sotomayor, a Bronx native, was in church and fainted, she recalled adding she was always thirsty which lead her to continuously drink water and wet her bed.

It wasn't so bad, but it was still bad, Sotomayor said recalling being taken to the hospital for blood tests and when a hospital worker attempted to draw blood from her she ran and hid under a car before hospital staff dragged her back kicking and screaming.

Sotomayor, who turns 57 this Saturday, still take 4-6 shots a day before taking the bench.

In an effort to provide inspiration to children who also suffer from the disease the justice told the children diabetes should not hinder your goals.

In the Bronx where Sotomayor grew up 12% of residents have diabetes, according to Health Department figures.

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