Madison, Diabetic and Delegate

by Jackie and Madison Davis

On page 24 of this newspaper online you can find a great picture and article regarding Madison meeting Bret at his concert and him paying for her to go to Camp.  http://www.sagchip.org/tribalobserver/archive/2011-swf/020111-v22i02.htm

Here is some additional information as well as I have attached some other pictures.

Madison has been selected as a 2011 Delegate to attend Children’s Congress in Washington D.C in June to advocate for a cure.  This is a very high honor and below is a portion of her essay that got her selected!  She will be on Capitol Hill June 20-22, 2011 attending Congressional meetings.  What an opportunity for an 8 year old!    General Info http://cc.jdrf.org/about/about-childrens-congress-2011.php .  Madison’s Profile:  http://cc.jdrf.org/delegates-2011/mi/madison.php

She also had to create a video for the Children’s Congress event.  You can find it on her profile and on youtube.

Madison’s Essay

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on June 30, 2009 when I was six years old.  This diagnosis has forever changed my life.  In June 2009, I was a normal kid that liked to eat normal things and play and laugh and enjoy life.  In July 2009, I was released from the hospital after being terribly sick and finding out I had diabetes.

From that point forward I’ve had to have multiple shots every day, poke my fingers non-stop, count the carbs I am eating, carefully have my exercise and sports participation monitored and many other changes.  Sometimes I cry and tell my mom it’s not fair.  I have to go to the nurse’s office at school every day before lunch to check my blood sugar and receive insulin.  The other kids don’t have to do this.  Sometimes I get sick at school when my blood sugar isn’t normal.  I have to eat special snacks and can’t always have the same things as everyone else.  I also, always have to have a friend with me walking to and from school and for other activities.  It’s hard for me to go to a friend’s house or spend the night somewhere because someone always has to know how to count my carbs and give me insulin and that’s not always easy.  It’s very hard for me to feel different all the time.  I pray every day that a cure will be found and I won’t have to live this way ever again.

A cure for Juvenile diabetes would mean the world to me.  It would mean that I could go back to being a normal kid and having fun with my friends without worrying about what is happening in my body.  It would mean no more sleepless nights for me and my parents when I’m fighting blood sugar highs or lows.  It would mean a whole new life to me.

I have worked very hard to promote awareness and raise money for JDRF to support them finding a cure for me.  I participated in my first “Walk for a Cure” with JDRF last fall, just two months after my diagnosis.  My family was able to raise over $2,000 for our first walk.  Last Fall (September 2010), I participated in my second walk.  I worked hard all year to raise money.  My family participated in a hot dog stand where I helped work all day selling hot dogs!  They also held a golf outing to help raise money.  It was really nice of them to help me out.  I worked hard this summer running a lemonade stand outside my house during my mom’s garage sale to raise money for JDRF also.  My little sister helped me make lemonade and pour it for all of our customer’s.  This year we raised about $6,000!

I also tell all of my friend’s all the time how I felt when I found out I had diabetes and to make sure they tell their parents if they are feeling thirsty all the time.  That’s what happened when I went to the doctor.  I was very thirsty and got very skinny and tired.  My mom wondered what was wrong and took me to the doctor.  It was very scary when they rushed me to a bigger hospital to stay for three days.  I kept asking my mom if I was going to die.  I’m glad that they were able to help me to feel better.  The doctors and nurses were all very nice and took good care of me and taught my parents a lot about how to care for me.

I always try to see the positive and diabetes has taught me a lot about my body and how it works.  I’ve learned to be healthier and help my mom count carbs and plan my meals.  I even asked her to throw me a party for my one year anniversary last year.  We celebrated the improvement I have made in one year and all the things we have learned.

Being positive isn’t always easy.  Sometimes I cry and every day I pray that a cure is found soon.  Sometimes my mom cries with me.  She always tells me it’s going to be ok and they are working hard on it

Thank you!

Madison Davis
Age 8
Clare, MI

Sincerely,

Jackie Davis