November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to diabetes. Isabella Phillips, a Junior at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota and plays competitive softball for her high school team, as well as the Diamond Divas Fastpitch Club. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) at the age of three, she remembers how alone she felt learning to navigate a new lifestyle, the discomfort from the shots her parents would give, but still enjoyed childhood sports, including softball, basketball, volleyball, dance, soccer, badminton and tennis.
Real. You. President, Beth Kelsey, spent time asking Isabella how T1D impacts her sports life. When asked what adjustments she has made in her routines to prepare for practices/games, Isabella shared "I have an extra snack or juice before practices or games to get my blood sugar to a safe number before playing. I also lower my insulin basal rates to deliver less insulin while I am exercising, which helps ensure I have less insulin in my body and make my blood sugar a little higher and safer for games." She told Real. You. during softball games, if her blood sugar is too low when she is pitching, her coach knows to bring a juice box to the mound so she can continue pitching the rest of the inning. "If you look in my softball bag you will always see extra juice bottles and snacks ready."
Being a teenager with T1D can often feel isolated and alone. In the high school sports world, education and awareness is the first line of defense for coaches and teammates to get engaged and help support. "If you see me sitting down it's not because I don't want to do the drill, it's because physically my body is not functioning well due to how low or high my blood sugar is'', Isabella shared.
If you know someone with T1D, get educated on how you can help. Learn how to support, ask questions, and get involved. "Some things my teammates have done to support me are checking to make sure I’m okay. Some have called 'time' to get me juice and make sure I can have a second. I have also appreciated when teammates have participated in fundraising efforts with me and when they choose to wear blue during November for Type One Diabetes month to help spread awareness."
Thank you Isabella for sharing your experiences and for being a strong ambassador for all student athletes with T1D.
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