A Mother's Perspective: Polishing Off Juvenile Diabetes

Crusading for a Cure

Neither my husband nor I had any history or knowledge of juvenile diabetes and were completely and utterly shocked when our son, Corey, was diagnosed with type I diabetes at the young age of 3 1/2. After the diagnosis, our lives changed dramatically as did our knowledge of this disease. Although he was the patient and the child, Corey showed tremendous strength that helped us, his parents, through the week-long stay at the hospital where we learned the strict routine that would consume our daily life-insulin shots and blood testing.

It was VERY hard to give a shot to my precious boy who didn't understand why his mom was doing this to him. All I wanted to do was take the pain away. We all cried! Trying to cope, and, most importantly, keeping our son healthy, we learned the hardest part was the realization that there was no cure and Corey would have to live this way indefinitely.

To raise money for research, we've joined together with the many thousands of people inflicted with this chronic illness. Each year, a group of our family and friends form a team called COREY'S CRUSADERS and participate in the Walk to Cure Diabetes in Boston. I believe the research efforts are helping. We've come a long way in the last ten years of living with juvenile diabetes. After a decade of daily insulin injections, averaging 5-6 per day, Corey is now on an insulin pump. He still requires daily insulin for his survival as the pump is not a cure, but we'd like to think it is bringing us steps closer.

Corey is now 14 years old. Right now, his thrill is playing hockey and as a 14-year-old, he dreams of being a professional hockey player. He is and continues to be a blessing. Thankfully, he is enjoying a healthy lifestyle as we battle this disease on a daily basis. It is my dream as his mother that he has the chance to make his dreams come true, and I'll continue to do everything I can to support the nationwide crusade in curing juvenile diabetes.