MUSCATINE, Iowa —  When Muscatine resident Katie Hahnbaum was in her teens, discomfort and inconvenience were part of her daily routine as she managed juvenile diabetes.

Today, Hahnbaum, 25, says research has led to discoveries that make life easier for youngsters and adults who manage the disease.

Juvenile diabetes, also known as Type-1, is an auto-immune related disease. It usually strikes between ages 5-20 and patients lose all insulin production and must inject insulin to stay alive.

On Friday and Saturday, Aug. 18 and 19, area residents can support a local fundraiser that brings hope and help to people who deal with the disease during the Watermelon Stampede.

This is the second year the  annual event, a two-day run/walk now in its 29th year, will serve as a fundraiser for the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

People pay an entry fee to participate in the events and a portion of the fee goes to JDRF.

In 2005, 175 children and 475 adults participated in the Stampede which raised $16,000 for JDRF.

The dream at work

The campaign began when Muscatine resident Kim Seligman and veteran Watermelon Stampede organizer Dell Wagner  combined their efforts to raise funds for JDRF.

Seligman and her husband, Brian, lost their 17-year-old son  Matthew on Dec. 1, 2004, 11½ years after he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

Seligman honors Matthew’s life by pursuing his dream of a cure.

Her motto is, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Seligman initially asked Wagner about creating a new race for a JDRF fundraiser, but Wagner didn’t know if the community could support another event. They agreed to use the existing Stampede instead.

Raising awareness

Seligman said the purpose of Stampede is to raise funds and awareness.

Hahnbaum said many people may not be aware of the many ways juvenile diabetes affects a person’s daily life and long-term health.

She was about 11 years old when she was diagnosed after experiencing the symptoms of juvenile diabetes, which include weight loss, excessive thirst and excessive urination.

Because hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions can be life threatening, she soon learned to maintain her blood sugar at a stable level. In addition, a diabetic can stave off long-term effects of the disease, such as poor circulation and vision problems, by maintaining a stable blood sugar level.

Diabetics monitor their blood sugar level by taking frequent, small blood samples throughout the day. The samples are placed on a small monitor that shows the results.

When Hahnbaum was young,  blood samples were taken from the fingertips.

“I remember poking my fingertips when I was younger and it used to hurt,” said Hahnbaum. She said monitoring her glucose level is more comfortable now, thanks to a new style of meter that makes it possible to use samples from her arm or leg.

“It never hurts when I poke my arms,” she said.

Modern blood testing meters give faster readings too.

“On my first machine, it took 45 seconds or a minute to show results,” said Hahnbaum. “Now it comes up in five seconds.” 

Type I diabetic Josh Schuler, a 2002 Muscatine High School graduate and senior at Iowa State University, said advances in treatment are encouraging.

Schuler, 22, who was diagnosed at age 7, said the insulin produced today is superior to the products he used as a child.

“It gets into the system faster,” he said.

The faster acting insulin makes it possible for a diabetic to eat immediately following an injection, rather than having to wait up to half an hour. Schuler said the newer insulin also makes it easier to stabilize his blood glucose levels.

“When you see these things come out, you think, ‘They’re making progress,’” said Schuler. “It gives you hope they may find a cure. And I would say that’s a definite possibility.”

Contact Cynthia Beaudette at 563-263-2331 ext. 323 or Cynthia.Beaudette@muscatinejournal.com

Details

What: Watermelon Stampede Against Diabetes

When: 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 and 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19.

Where: The Friday event is the Kids’ Walk. It will be held at the Muscatine High School Track, 2705 Cedar St. The Saturday event, the 5K Run/Walk for adults, will be held at the First Baptist Church, 3003 Mulberry Ave., Muscatine

Entries: Early registration, mailed before Saturday Aug. 12, is $7 for the Kids’ event and $12 for the adult event. Late registration is $10 for the Kids’ event and $15 for the adult event. Late registrations will be   taken an hour prior to the races. Registration forms can be picked up at Unity Hospital’s information desk in the main lobby at 1518 Mulberry Ave., Muscatine Community Y, 1823 Logan St. and First Baptist Church. Forms are also available by calling Dell Wagner at 263-8804 or by visiting  the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation Web site at http://www.jdrfia.org/

Packet pick up: For both races will be 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, Aug. 18, at the First Baptist Church.

Another way to help

Hy-Vee Food Store, 2400 Second Ave. and Hy-Vee Drugstore, 1514 Mulberry Ave., are conducting a Junior Diabetes Research Foundation sneaker campaign. Customers can buy a paper sneaker for $1 and have their name written on it. The sneakers are displayed at the store and the money goes to JDRF. Hy-Vee is a corporate sponsor of the Central Iowa Chapter Walk to Cure Diabetes and encourages all their stores to participate in fundraising for the event.