Pop Star Nick Jonas
This Sunday on dLifeTV: The story of two mothers who founded a diabetes fundraising powerhouse. dLife visits a physical therapist to discuss little-known diabetes complications. And, teen pop star Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers talks about his new life with diabetes. Plus, Chef Michel Nischan spices things up with a Mexican pizza.
Check out the full dLifeTV schedule to see what's coming and what you can catch up on!
Posted by thisweek at 09:46 AM | Comments (15) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Kids Rock the World!
LOS ANGELES, (July 16, 2007) – Helping youngsters with diabetes, ages 10-15 gain self-empowerment is the mission of Kids Rock The World celebrating its sixth consecutive year sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. This daylong annual event will be held Sunday, August 12, 2007 from 9 am - 5:30 pm at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) when nearly 100 young people with Type 1 and 2 diabetes from five Southland counties will meet up for a day of physical challenges and learning opportunities. Additionally, a half-day session for parents and guardians will address issues of diabetes management in the schools, legal rights and the psychology of teenagers with diabetes. Registration, which is mandatory and open until August 5, can be accessed by calling call 1-888-DIABETES, Ext. 7504, or going online to www.kidsrocktheworld.org
Free bus transportation to and from CSULB will be provided from stops including Miller Childrens Hospital Long Beach, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Park in the San Fernando Valley, and Childrens Hospital Orange County. All required insurance, medical and safety procedures are in place to ensure a safe and successful day.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles in Type 2 diabetes.
Kids Rock The World is unique among Los Angeles area diabetes events in that there is no cost to the participants. The day provides youngsters with the opportunity to make new friends, tackle physical challenges and learn self-reliance, independent of their parents or guardians -- all the while maintaining their normal blood sugar monitoring and insulin routine under the watchful eyes of adult counselors, more than 90% of whom have diabetes.
A special half-day session in a separate location at CSULB for parents and guardians addresses issues of diabetes management in the schools, legal rights for students, and the psychology of teenagers with diabetes. A certified diabetes educator, psychologist, and a California legal advocate from the American Diabetes Association will impart crucial information -- offered in Spanish as well. Parents and guardians may attend even if their child does not register for KRTW.
The event is the brainchild of Aimee Greenholtz, 40, mother of two who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 24. She created Kids Rock The World through an all-volunteer force of adults with diabetes who felt passionate about mentorship and education among the underserved population of youngsters with diabetes. Greenholtz says the demands of having a chronic disease, where diet, exercise and medication co-exist every day, are a delicate balance. “My goal was to create a day where kids could conquer their fears in a safe and stimulating environment. To show teens they can have fun, and also apply the lessons they learn here to living with diabetes, is an extraordinary gift not only to the kids, but also to their families.”
Greenholtz says, “Learning to say you can when you think you cannot is what Kids Rock The World is all about. Teens with diabetes are coping with self-discovery issues. Having the disease can make it difficult for kids to fit in and take on challenges associated with becoming a teenager. During this time it’s more difficult to take control of your health. This event provides unforgettable experiences that empower kids to be able to handle anything that comes their way,” says Greenholtz.
KRTW staff directs youngsters through a series of physical obstacles that are conquered through teamwork and cooperation. Trained and energetic counselors guide participants, as do several physicians and an EMT/ambulance. Morning, afternoon snacks, and lunch are provided, along with an end-of-the-day “cool-down” in CSULB’s Olympic Trials training pool.
Celebrity speakers include world-class professional surfer Scott Dunton, 21, from the Big Island of Hawaii, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was sixteen years old, and has spent his last three years on the ASP World Tour. Division 1 college swimmer Scott Johnson, who learned of his diabetes when he was 13, will also be on hand to impart an inspirational message about living and succeeding with the chronic disease. Highlights include Quiksilver/Roxy pro snowboarder Alexis “Lexi” Waite, visiting from her training base in Salt Lake City. Waite will talk about how diabetes has touched her family and how she has overcome serious injuries on the mountain to become one of the most progressive young riders in her sport. Guest speaker Stephanie Speer, a college senior with Type 1 diabetes is on the rowing team at Loyola Marymount University. Diagnosed when she was three years old, Speer, who’s 6’ 1” tall will give a speech on her 21st birthday at Kids Rock The World. “Why do I row? Rowing is one of the best things for diabetes. It’s such a great way to keep healthy,” says Speer.
Co-chair David Geffner, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 14 years ago at age 32, is an avid surfer and hiker who says that Kids Rock The World challenges participants to achieve more than they ever thought possible. “Society at large presents a fairly limited and uninformed picture of what diabetes is all about. Physical activity is a key part of staying healthy and the pro athletes with diabetes who come and speak at our event offer adult role models beyond what these kids dreamed was possible. To see the face of a youngster who conquers a 20-foot climbing wall after lunch, when that same kid who arrived in the morning vowed not to set foot on the wall – it’s a wonderful feeling.” Geffner says kids arrive assuming the challenges are 80% physical and 20% mental. “But the truth is that the ratio is really flipped around. The only thing holding back a person with diabetes is their own preconceptions.” Says Greenholtz, “The highlight of the day is the ropes course, which is really a metaphor for living with diabetes. By strategizing and learning through trial and error, kids learn how to trust people in their group. Having diabetes is a team effort. It’s your family, physician, educators, nutritionists -- the ropes course is, in many ways, comparable to living with diabetes – it’s a team effort that can be successfully managed.”
Posted by thisweek at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us
Blogabetes Preview!
dLife is introducing Blogabetes - a new diabetes blog featuring some of your favorite voices from the diabetes blogosphere and introducing some new voices as well! Blogabetes will highlight "real life" with diabetes. These are people making sense of a "diabetes diet." These are people wearing insulin pumps. These are the parents of children with diabetes. These are people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes telling the true stories of what it's really like to live with diabetes.
Over the next few weeks, as we prepare to launch Blogabetes, we'll be giving dLife Today readers a sneak preview from featured Blogabetes writers. Check out the sneak peeks that have already been posted on dLife Today!
Related: Diabetes Resources
Posted by thisweek at 09:40 AM | Comments (0) | Digg This! | Send to Newsvine | Add to del.icio.us