Happy New Year DiabetesSisters! We hope that 2009 brings each of you joy and happiness. We certainly have some exciting things to celebrate during the year to come. First and foremost, DiabetesSisters was granted our very first capacity building grant through the BlueCross BlueShield Foundation of North Carolina. The money received will allow us to consult with experts in the nonprofit sector to strengthen our leadership and further develop our strategic plan for 2009 and beyond, improve website functionality and marketing. A huge thank you to BCBS of North Carolina for making a huge investment in the lives of women with diabetes! Our second bit of exciting news comes from this month's "Reflections" portion of Diabetes Forecast Magazine. Brandy Barnes, Executive Director of DiabetesSisters describes her experience as a female with diabetes in "From the Basketball Court to the World Stage." Click here to read the full article! Be sure to check it out or look for the article in your copy of Diabetes Forecast (published by the American Diabetes Association).  This month we would like to spotlight Madeline Edwards and her mother Kelli. Madeline will be our new Hot Topic blogger and will share her experiences as a 13 year-old with diabetes. Kelli, her mother will also share her experiences as mother of a young women with Type 1 diabetes. Madeline and Kelli both live in Goldsboro, NC.
For as young as she is, Madeline is quite an accomplished young lady! Madeline's diagnosis at age 4 had a serious impact on her life. Given her amazing talent at singing she recorded a CD and donated most of the proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation when she was just 7 years old! Madeline has made many public appearances throughout North Carolina and in 2007, Madeline made her first national appearance by winning the CBS Early Morning Show's Living Room Live Kids Edition and was able to perform live on the show in New York. Here is the first entry of Madeline's Hot Topic blog. We hope you all enjoy! Hello all! My name is Madeline Edwards, and I am 13 years old. I am the newest blogger for the DiabetesSisters website! I was diagnosed with diabetes in May of 1999 when I was four years old. At first the experience was very scary. I had no idea what was going on, and I was terrified of all the needles and such. I remember the nurses trying to hold me down so that they could prick my finger and draw blood. Though it was a bit traumatic on my part, I quickly adjusted to my new way of life and took on great challenges for a girl of four years old. I immediately started to prick my own finger, give myself shots, draw up the insulin, and learn the ups and downs of the disease. I grew, and my knowledge of diabetes grew along with me. Though I was pushed down a few times, I learned that I could be a normal kid just like all of my other friends. When I was in the fourth grade, I started using the Deltec Cozmo insulin pump. I had previously contemplated whether or not to get the pump. I didn't know if it would be a hassle or what others would think or how it would feel. It was a big decision in my life that I do not regret one bit. It is a part of me now, and I cannot imagine my life without it! Like most teenagers, I have many interests and hobbies. I enjoy singing, dancing, drawing, reading, writing, and learning new things. I sing opera and classical music, and I have been singing since the age of three. I started officially studying voice when I was in the fifth grade. When I was seven I recorded a CD, and all of the proceeds went to diabetes research. In 2007, I won the CBS Living Room Live Kids' Edition talent competition. It was a great accomplishment for me, and because of it, I have been blessed with many opportunities. No one is really happy to have diabetes. However, I feel that having diabetes has made me more independent, understanding and determined to make the best of my life. I do pray for a cure every single day, and I know that the day a cure is found will be the most wonderful day of my life. I think that diabetes, though it can be a struggle, should be looked at in a positive way. I try to take each day one day at a time and make the best of what it brings. Thank you and I look forward to hearing your questions and comments! For more information about Madeline and to hear her sing, please visit her website: www.madelineedwards.com and look for her Hot Topic to debut on the DiabetesSisters website mid-January! And last but not least, if you're like most people you've probably set your New Year resolution. To help you keep it or to help you set one if you have not done so yet January's Nutrition Tip of the Month has some helpful tips to keep you on track for not just January, but a lifetime! We wish you all the best for continued health and success for 2009! In DiabetesSisterhood, Your DiabetesSisters Team | 
