This is Owen. He's 7 years old and just started 2nd grade. He's one of the coolest, most imaginative, smart, thoughtful and sweet kids we know. Three years ago, at age 4, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).
What started out as a few simple questions of
his pediatrician, ended with us taking Owen to the hospital with a blood sugar
of over 600. A typical blood sugar, for a person without T1D, is 100. We took
this picture just a few days before his diagnosis. He was becoming really
skinny, pale, and lethargic. He stayed in the hospital for 2 days, while we
learned how to give him insulin shots, test his blood sugar and count his carbs
to ensure good blood sugars.
This July, Owen started wearing an insulin pump, which is a tube and catheter attached to his body which delivers insulin constantly throughout the day. We are hopeful that this will help us maintain more stable blood sugars for him, plus it cuts down on the number of shots he receives, which he loves! He still requires frequent blood sugar checks and wears a Constant
Glucose Monitor, which allow us to predict when his blood sugar is going to dip
too low or climb too high. We count every carb that he eats, to accurately
determine how much insulin he should receive at each meal. He was also diagnosed with Celiac disease this May, so we have eliminated gluten from his diet. At least 20% of all people with diabetes have Celac, which adds an extra layer of monitoring and vigilance to our lives. Going to school,
having playdates, playing sports, eating out, and going on vacation are still extremely challenging
Despite all this, Owen has not allowed T1D to stop him from becoming the greatest kid we could ever dream of.
He loves school, especially being a bee in the 1st grade play. He is a voracious reader and writer.
He loves creating with Legos and playing imaginative games.
This summer, he told us that his two favorite things are hiking and camping. He loves exploring nature.
He even went on his first one-night backpacking trip!
This year, we are assembling a team for the 2013 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. Our team will be called "Owen's Entourage." We whole-heartedly believe in the mission of the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Over 85% of monies donated to JDRF are used for research in the prevention, treatment and cure of T1D. They also have an active branch in many cities, providing outreach to families living with T1D. Our
We would like to extend the opportunity to you, our family and friends, to either join us on the walk, on September 14, 2014 or to donate to our team, "Owen's Entourage". The walk starts at
If you are out-of-state, or just can't make it to the walk, please consider donating to our team. Normally, I feel uncomfortable in asking people to donate to a cause, but this particular cause is so near-and-dear to our hearts. Each year, approximately 15,000 children are diagnosed with this disease, and the incidence in children under age 14 is increasing by 3% each year. Every little bit helps in finding a cure for T1D. If you would like to make a donation, please click here, and hit the "Donate" button and search for "Owen's Entourage". This year, we are asking that all donations be made directly to Owen, since he is the team captain and the person with T1D on the team. He has also decided to donate $1 of his own money and hopes that other kids on the team will do the same.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story. Please feel free to
join us at the walk, donate to our team, or contact me with any questions at jbhobgood@gmail.com.
