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Happy fourth of July!
Human GI Cells Retrained to Produce Insulin
I don't post nearly all of the stories that I read about cure research, but I found this one to be particularly interesting and wanted to pass it on.
I don't post nearly all of the stories that I read about cure research, but I found this one to be particularly interesting and wanted to pass it on.
Human gastrointestinal cells from patients were engineered to express insulin (fluorescent green) in the lab. (Image by Columbia University Medical Center.)
Excerpts from a Columbia University Medical Center press release:
By switching off a single gene, scientists at Columbia University’s Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center have converted human gastrointestinal cells into insulin-producing cells, demonstrating in principle that a drug could retrain cells inside a person’s GI tract to produce insulin.
The finding raises the possibility that cells lost in type 1 diabetes may be more easily replaced through the reeducation of existing cells than through the transplantation of new cells created from embryonic or adult stem cells.
After seven days, some of the cells started releasing insulin and, equally important, only in response to glucose.
You can read the entire press release here
Good Stuff
So, on this day, I want to thank diabetes... Sure it still owes us about 4,000,000,000 more good moments before I can even consider calling us even, but I won't forget this one.
I've sat through playdates, school trips (Oh the mind numbing school trips), countless practices and untold birthday parties while on BG patrol. I do my best - because I fear that the knowledge would make me crazy - to not wonder where all of the other parents go when they drop their kids, and run.
My time as a wallflower in Arden's life decreases each year as she takes on more and more responsibility for her type I diabetes care. Playdates are now managed via text message and I'm attending fewer parties, but I still stay at sporting events to help oversee her blood glucose levels.
During the early part of June Arden's 9 year old all star softball team won their tournament, ending softball for the summer. Well, it would have ended her season, you know, if she hadn't then tried out and made the 10 year old team. Since the older girls practice longer and more frequently than the younger girls, I've been spending two hours a day watching Arden practice. That is a lot of hours spent sitting on an aluminum bleacher, a literal pain in the ass brought to yours truly, by none other than diabetes.
But the greatest thing happened the other day, and honestly I wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for diabetes. So I'm writing this blog post in recognition of the fact that diabetes brought something positive into my life.
Arden plays third base on her 9 year old all star team but on the 10's she mostly plays right field. Prior to making the 10's, I would have describe Arden's ability to catch a fly ball as "not bad". That is, if the ball was within a reasonable radius of her, she could catch it most times. This is a skill that she has had to work harder on now that she is playing the outfield on a regular basis. I watched her struggle for the first week of 10's practice to track and catch these higher, harder balls. She never gave up but never-the-less, she was struggling. Then suddenly a few days ago, it all began to make sense to her and I was there when she figured it all out. I was actually looking at her when something that her coach said 'clicked' for Arden. It may seem like a little thing, but as a parent you don't get to see that moment very often. I was able to watch the lightbulb turn on over her head, I saw her smile when she first believed that she understood, and I witnesses the jubilation when she put her discovery into practice. I was only there because I was watching her blood glucose, because my life doesn't allow me to drop and run.
So, on this day, I want to thank diabetes... Sure it still owes us about 4,000,000,000 more good moments before I can even consider calling us even, but I won't forget this one.
-- Arden's team plays their first game tonight at 6 pm
FDA Approves Inhalable Diabetes Drug Afrezza
I want to be 100% clear that my next statement is based on absolutely nothing but my gut instinct. I may very well be completely wrong but...
I would never let Arden inhale insulin, it just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
That said, I hope that I'm wrong and that this helps countless people...
From ABC News/AP News
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a long-delayed inhalable diabetes medication to help patients control their blood sugar levels during meals.
The FDA cleared MannKind Corp.'s drug Afrezza, a fast-acting form of insulin, for adults with the most common form of diabetes that affects more than 25 million Americans. The approval decision comes more than three years after the agency first asked MannKind to run additional clinical studies on the drug.
The rest of this news story can be found here.
The FDA News release is here.
Social Media is Amazing (and so are you!)
Follow the Butterfly...
One June evening Arden walked into our living room and commandeered our TiVo remote. As she settled into our sofa she announced, "The softball World Series is on TV"... we all sat together and watched Alabama take on Florida.
Follow the Butterfly...
One June evening Arden walked into our living room and commandeered our TiVo remote. As she settled into our sofa she announced, "The softball World Series is on TV"... we all sat together and watched Alabama take on Florida.
The next day I received a Facebook message from an Arden's Day reader telling me that Alabama's catcher, Molly FIchtner, has type I diabetes.
That message prompted me to reached out to Molly on Twitter the next day, I asked her if she would be interested in doing an interview with me for Arden's Day and Huffington Post Sports.
A few days later Molly and I spoke on the phone where, for over an hour, I found Molly to be inspirational, clear-minded and in possession of a drive that one doesn't often come across. I immediately sat down to write her story and posted it on Arden's Day the very next morning, Huffington Post Sports followed a few days later.
Molly's story received thousands of Facebook shares and likes and hundreds of tweets were sent from people who wanted to spread the word about Molly. In the diabetes community, the JDRF tweeted, as did The Joslin Diabetes Center and countless people who live with diabetes. In kind, the softball community got the word out too. Players, colleges and travel teams alike all spread the word about Molly. The NCAA even sent a tweet that included a photo of Molly, complete with a quote that she gave me during our interview. - "Be determined to take your ability as far as it can go."
Molly
Then yesterday I received a new message on Facebook, one that delighted me and showed the power of community, positive influences and the power of sharing online. The message was from a mother who's child does not have diabetes, she told me that her daughter's softball coach recently emailed his entire team a link to an interview that he wanted them to read... My interview with Molly.
I'm proud to be a diabetes blogger, and I'm touched that you all take the time to read and share. I wanted you to know that your participation in our community does more than just help you and your family. You are part of something that is much larger, an interconnected process that is bringing hope, relief and guidance to families just like yours and mine - and beyond.
Have a wonderful weekend!
My best,
