Michael Rubington, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 6 years old, is proud of all work his mother does with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “He knows we wont’ stop fighting until there’s a cure,” says Cheryl Rubington.Photo by Carol Joseph
Michael Rubington doesn’t let diabetes stand in the way of doing the things he loves, like acting and playing the drums. “It makes you appreciate what’s important.”Photo by Carol Joseph
When he was 6 years old, Michael Rubington thought it was good that he was drinking so much water.
“I thought it was healthy,” says the now-grown 17-year-old.
And when his mom saw how tired he was when she picked him up from preschool, she just thought he had had extra fun that day.
“Oh, my boy,” Cheryl Rubington remembers thinking to herself, “he just played his heart out.”
What neither Michael nor his mom realized was that at his young age, Michael had developed type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, and that his excessive thirst, urination, tiredness, and mood swings were some of the symptoms.
Eleven years and thousands of finger pricks and insulin injections later, the Rubingtons now know more about diabetes than they ever dreamed possible.
And they’re working to raise awareness of the dangers, complications and misconceptions of juvenile diabetes and, even more importantly, the funds to help find a cure.
That’s why the entire Rubington family will be walking in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes this Saturday, April 16, at the Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers. JDRF is the worldwide leader for research to find better treatments and a cure for type 1 diabetes with more than 80 percent of funds raised going to research and research-related education.
“Kids die from this,” Rubington, a stay-at-home mother of three and active volunteer, says emphatically.
And indeed, they do. According to Rubington, the Center for Disease Control predicts that 231,400 people will die of diabetes in 2011. That’s more than three times the number of predicted deaths from AIDS and breast cancer combined.
Michael, a junior at Seacrest Country Day School, tells a story of a young man in the Florida Suncoast Chapter who died because he didn’t tell his date that he had diabetes. So she didn’t recognize the warning signs or know what to do when his blood sugar levels went too high.
“I don’t hide it,” says Michael, a handsome young man who looks like the picture of good health. “My friends know what to check for.”
Making friends and teachers aware of his diabetes is something Michael has gotten used to over the years. But he didn’t always like it.
“The hardest part was always having my parents come in and talk to teachers,” Michael recalls. That, and the fact that his mom always had to go on field trips with him. “That was the worst,” he admits in typical teenage fashion.
The management of diabetes can be overwhelming, especially when children are younger.
“You always have to be thinking. Always have to be planning,” says Rubington.
And you always have to be monitoring blood sugar levels. In fact, for young children, doctors recommend that you test them one-to-two times a night to make sure their blood sugar doesn’t go too low while they’re sleeping.
“It’s a 24/7, 365 days a week disease.” Rubington says knowingly. “You never get a break.”
Once kids hit puberty, a whole other set of problems ensues. “Sometimes your blood pressure goes out of whack for no reason at all.” Michael remembers with frustration. He explains that stress can really affect blood sugar levels, so he tries not to get worked up over little things.
Life got a lot easier for Michael three years ago when he got an OmniPod, a small wireless device that eliminates the need for daily injections by infusing a continuous flow of insulin to the body. Insulin levels can be pre-programmed and adjusted according to what you eat and what your blood sugar levels are. Although the pod has certainly given Michael more freedom, there’s still a lot of intensive management involved, including the constant counting of carbohydrates for everything he eats.
“People don’t realize how much work you have to put into it,” Michael says. He explains that managing his diabetes always has to be his number one priority, even above school. Yet in spite of the time, effort and concerns that his diabetes demands, Michael doesn’t like to dwell on the negative or feel sorry for himself.
“There are so many worse things I could have,” he says with acceptance and humility.
For Michael, living with diabetes is one big balancing act: take it seriously, but don’t let it scare you; pay attention to it, but don’t let it limit you; do your part to help, but still be a teenager. But he seems to be handling it all quite well.
Michael, who plans to go to college to study law or business, has a full and active life. He loves to sing, play the drums and act. He has performed in school and theatrical productions, including a starring role as “Troy” in Sugden Theatre’s recent production of High School Musical 2. He also appeared in a video created for the 2011 JDRF Hope Gala that was held at the Ritz-Carlton this past February.
“I try to do as much as I can for JDRF,” Michael explains. His positive attitude and willingness to help no doubt reflect the attitude and efforts of his mother. In addition to co-chairing the annual JDRF gala, which has raised more than $3.5 million since its inception in 2007, Rubington also does JDRF mentoring with parents of recently diagnosed kids. “I listen to their fears, then I share our story.”
Speaking from experience, she says that having other people to turn to is crucial.
“We felt a lot better once we got involved in JDRF,” Rubington remembers. “People are here,” she advises. “Reach out.”
She also is adamant that people understand that eating too much sugar doesn’t cause type 1 diabetes; it’s an autoimmune disease that comes on suddenly and can strike anyone at any age, even adults and those without any family history of diabetes. “We don’t want these kids thinking they were responsible,” she insists.
Rubington’s in-depth knowledge of diabetes and passion for finding a cure are evident in everything she says and does. “The more time that goes by, the more passionate I get about finding a cure,” the petite blonde admits.
Michael is happy and proud of his mother for all the time and effort she devotes to finding a cure for diabetes. “It’s cool that she’s working so hard, not just for me, but for everyone.”
Rubington, who is already busy planning next year’s gala, believes that people with diabetes can do amazing things.
“The sky’s the limit with these kids,” Rubington says, eyes welling with tears. “Nothing should ever get in their way.”
And with people like Cheryl and Michael Rubington working to help find a cure, hopefully, one day soon, nothing ever will.
To find out more about Juvenile Diabetes or to donate or register for Saturday’s walk, visit JDRF.org.
