“So, what do you want to do?”

Pine Bush Central School District nurse Kathleen Chamberlain heard those words as she was sitting in the pediatric ICU, struggling with her Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) several years ago. She had been diagnosed when she was nine years old, on Thanksgiving Day. Life changed for her in so many ways.

One clear way it changed her life was that it set her on a career path to becoming a registered nurse and having a positive impact on children in general, and those with T1D in particular.

In September, Mrs. Chamberlain was honored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for her contributions as a woman making a difference in the medical field.

“It’s empowering (being a woman in the medical field), but it does come with its challenges,” she said. “I’m a go-getter so when someone tells me ‘that’s impossible,’ I immediately try to find ways to prove them wrong. Being a woman in the medical field has continued to motivate me to excel so that other young women can follow in our footsteps and make an immensely positive change.”

That drive has helped channel her energies to help students who are living their own challenges with T1D. It’s been quite a journey for her.

Mrs. Chamberlain, who is a COVID-19 safety coordinator and diabetic resource nurse for the district, was bullied by peers after her diagnosis, as well as some adults who just didn’t know what to do with her. She spent lots of time reading and crafting. She was frustrated. She didn’t always take care of herself in the years that followed, which is how she ended up in the pediatric ICU with Nurse Judy asking her, “So, what do you want to do?”

“No one had ever asked me that,” said Mrs. Chamberlain. “They always told me what I had to do.”

Her caring nurse took the time to listen to her. Mrs. Chamberlain talked to her about her frustrations, fears and difficulties surrounding her T1D. Nurse Judy calmed her fears and encouraged her to join a diabetes support group and use the resources available to her. She participated in JDRF walks that made her feel more connected to her diagnosis. It all has made a remarkable difference in her life.

Fast forward a few years and that young person who felt so despondent decided to become a nurse herself.

“She (Judy) inspired me to become a registered nurse,” said Mrs. Chamberlain. “I felt that maybe I could have the same impact on others that she had on me as a young woman.”

Every day, Mrs. Chamberlain works with school-aged children with T1D. “My goal when I’m working with them is to impress upon them to not let diabetes define you. Rather, it’s one thing you deal with and you enjoy everyday life just like everyone else.”

Mrs. Chamberlain’s journey with T1D certainly gives her a different perspective when working with children facing the same struggle.

“I think one major thing is that I can relate not only to sharing a diagnosis but sharing the experience with these children,” she said. “Personally, I was diagnosed when I was only nine years old in the fourth grade and it was very frightening. The aspect of not knowing and being ‘different’ from my peers was a very overwhelming feeling. It is one of the reasons I became a registered nurse and why I am so passionate about student health and well-being.”

She stresses to her students that having diabetes is just one part of who they are.

“When I work individually with students who have Type 1 Diabetes, my first rule is to that having diabetes does not define you,” Mrs. Chamberlain said. “You are not the kid with diabetes. You are the kid who likes the outdoors, likes to fish and you have diabetes.

“It is something that is part of your life but not the defining factor,” she added. “Feeling like you are just like everyone else is difficult when you have a chronic autoimmune disease like Type 1 Diabetes. I remind the children – look at me! I did it and there are other staff members in our district who have Type 1 Diabetes and you wouldn’t even know it. Empowering these children to be strong and confident as well as able to have the tools and resources to live a fulfilled and healthy life is crucial to their education. I am honored to be in a position to help our students.”

And our district is grateful for what you bring to help all our students. Congratulations on this honor from the JDRF. It is much deserved.

 

Resources for Type 1 Diabetes

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) – www.jdrf.org

American Diabetes Association – www.diabetes.org