November is Diabetes Awareness Month and EJR had a Wear Blue for Diabetes Awareness Day this week to help raise awareness about diabetes.

 

 

Kindergarten teacher Ellie Cassidy has had type 1 diabetes for 13 years. She and Hayley, an EJR student also with type 1 diabetes, took the opportunity to spread awareness about diabetes and share how it affects their everyday lives.

 

 

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), “when you have type 1 diabetes, your immune system mistakenly treats the beta cells in your pancreas, that create insulin, as foreign invaders and destroys them. When enough beta cells are destroyed, your pancreas can’t make insulin or makes so little of it that you need to take insulin to live.”

Insulin helps blood glucose enter your body’s cells so that it can be used as energy, according to the ADA, Blood glucose can’t enter cells when someone has diabetes, causing high blood glucose. Over time, this harms your body and leads to complications, if it’s not treated properly.

 

The students had some great questions for Ms. Cassidy and many students and staff members wore blue in support. The more we know, the better we understand and can assist our friends and colleagues. Great job Haley and Ms. Cassidy!