Sophomore Whitney Fleming is sitting in class looking around to make sure no one is watching, quietly she sticks herself with a needle. She injects the much needed relief. Instantly, she feels better. Whitney Fleming has diabetes.

“Right now I’m sick because I haven’t been paying attention to my blood sugar levels as much as I should. I also have ketones, which are acid build ups that are breaking down in my kidneys. My diabetes makes my body not able to break down my ketones and get rid of them.”

Diabetes is a lifelong disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 – which is usually diagnosed during childhood, is when the body produces little or no insulin; this is the least common type of diabetes. The cause of this type of diabetes cause is unknown. Type 2- which is the most common form of diabetes which is usually diagnosed during adulthood and is due to lack of exercise and poor diet. These factors cause the pancreas to produce less insulin than needed to keep blood glucose levels normal. Sophomore Whitney Fleming has type 1 diabetes.

“I have to watch what I eat. If I eat something sweet, I have to give myself shots. I especially have to watch myself when I’m being active, to make sure I drink enough water and keep hydrated.”

Diabetes can affect everything a person does in their life, like food choices and what they do in their free time.

“I’ve known Whitney ever since Elementary school, and her diabetes hasn’t really changed her as a person.” Sophomore Kendra Hall says, “When I’m with her, I make sure she gets her shots.”

Diabetes can also lead to many other health problems with a persons heart, kidney, liver and cause other vital organs. Infections are much more harmful to a person who has diabetes, the disease can damage blood vessels and nerves and decrease the body’s ability to fight off infection. People with Type 1 diabetes like Whitney may not find out they have the disease until it’s too late. There currently is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Also, there are no screening tests available to people that do not have symptoms. Whitney who has type 1 diabetes knew only because she lost thirty pounds and couldn’t gain any weight.

“The first time I gave myself a shot, I thought I couldn’t do it. The doctors at the hospital wouldn’t let me leave until I gave myself a shot.”

Whitney is lucky that she found out so soon in her life that she had diabetes. But being so young when a person discovers this, and has to have the responsibility of having to take care of your blood sugar is a hard thing. When Whitney was in seventh grade she discovered she had diabetes. Because Whitney dealing with the responsibility of keeping her diabetes in check at such a young age, has given her an advantage over others with the same disease.