FORT MILL_ Diabetes awareness_ Fort Mill girl celebrates her anniversary of diagnosis _ News _ Fort Mill Times
- 2. Payton Deese (middle) is flanked by her mom Amme Deese and fellow fellow type 1 diabetes
patient Rob Myers. Payton recently celebrated one year since her diagnosis.
AMANDA HARRIS
Learn more:
The 2015 Running for Ruth DCamp Scholarship Fund, part of Charlotte Racefest is scheduled for
Saturday, April 11.
Support Team Diabetes in providing scholarships for kids to attend Camp Carolina Trails, a summer
camp for children and teens with diabetes. The camp fee is $700.
Details: runningforruth.org, campcarolinatrails.org.
For other information, got to jdrf.org, and facebook.com/paytonspack.
FORT MILL — Payton Deese, 9, recently celebrated a year of living with diabetes.
Payton and her family have learned to make living with her Type 1 diabetes an enjoyable experience and
have dubbed Dec. 2, the day she was diagnosed, her diaversary, her mother Amme Deese said.
Unlike Type 2 diabetes, in which a person’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, those with Type 1
diabetes have a pancreas that does not produce insulin at all, said Jennie Costner, spokeswoman for the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund Greater Western Carolinas Chapter.
Besides constant thirst and weight loss, common symptoms of the disease, Deese said she had noticed
her normally outgoing daughter appearing increasingly sad and in pain leading up to her diagnosis. After
- 3. Payton was diagnosed and treatment began, Deese said her daughter’s attitude and personality improved,
giving them cause to celebrate.
“We see it as that’s when we got our kid back,” she said.
Payton still faces daily challenges to keep her blood sugar in check, Deese said. She said an insulin pump
has helped Payton gain some control.
When Payton first switched from insulin shots to the pump, Deese said they threw her a “Frozen”themed
“Let it Go” party to mark the end of the shots.
“We try to make diabetes as fun as possible,” she said.
Payton also has a Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring device, which warns Payton and her family
members when her blood sugar goes too high or low, Deese said.
“It’s been a life changer,” she said.
Type 1 diabetes, Deese said, is something a person has to deal with for the rest of their lives. That’s why
Payton and her family have worked closely with JDRF to spread awareness. They have also started
Payton’s Pack, their JDRF Walk team.
While there is much research on Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 isn’t as well known, Costner said. As children
who are diagnosed with Type 1 become adults, more research is needed.
“It’s a wonderful time to learn as much as we can about Type 1,” she said. “We are closer to a cure than
ever before.”
Costner’s daughter Hannah, 21, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 10. Costner said she knew
something was wrong when her daughter kept losing weight and had constant headaches, symptoms that
immediately improved once Hannah was given insulin.
“It was a big awakening,” she said.
Hannah also has a CGM so she and her family can keep track of her blood sugar, Costner said. She said
Hannah has been constant in her monitoring.
“She fights diligently with it every day,” Costner said. “I’m really proud of her.”
Costner said she did not know about JDRF until she read about it on a Wendy’s coupon book benefiting
the organization, but has worked closely with them since.
“They are a huge support network for us,” she said.
Hannah was one of three South Carolina delegates to attend the 2009 JDRF Children’s Congress in
Washington and speak with U.S. House representatives and senators about funding research for a cure,
Costner said. That year, the delegates helped secure a renewal of the 2010 Special Diabetes Project,
according to the JDRF website.
Since there are more people living with Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 isn’t as talked about, said Fort Mill
resident Rob Myers, who was incorrectly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2006. After years of exercising
and following a recommended diet without seeing a change in his condition, Myers, 44, sought a second
opinion and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year. He said the transition from Type 2 medicine to
insulin was a harsh reality.
“I felt like I lost,” he said. “But I’m glad I did it. It’s easier to control.”
Myers watched his mother, Ruth Myers, battle with Type 2 diabetes for years, losing her legs to the
disease and having to rely on a pacemaker and dialysis. She died Dec. 16.
- 4. Myers said there is a stigma surrounding Type 2 diabetes that people who have it do not take care of
themselves, creating a bridge between those with the different types.
“There is a big divide and I’ve walked on both sides of it,” he said. “I’ve seen what diabetes can do to
people. If we work together, we could get a lot farther.”
An avid runner, Myers founded Running for Ruth to end diabetes, an educational tool and fundraiser in
honor of his mother, a few years ago.
“I wanted to show her that everything she’s been through, some good can come out of it,” he said.
While JDRF offers many resources, including a Type 1 summit and the Special Diabetes Program
dedicated to supporting research toward a cure for Type 1 diabetes, Costner said more awareness is
needed.
“We can multiply our resources and help make these kids’ lives easier as we go on the road to the cure,”
she said.
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