Kaitlyn Mattiello, a high school senior in Oxford Schools Early College (OSEC) program, found a unique way to raise awareness for Type 1 diabetes – golf.
She recently organized an outing at Devil’s Ridge Golf Club in Oxford to benefit Type 1 diabetes research as part of her Capstone project through the OSEC program.
For Mattiello, the battle against Type 1 diabetes has been a personal one.
At age 7, she was diagnosed with the condition.
During a vacation with her parents, she developed symptoms such as weight loss and frequent urination.
Following a week-long hospitalization, it was discovered she had acute kidney failure, which led doctors to her diagnosis.
Mattiello said she has not been hospitalized since her initial diagnosis and she now has taken control of her diabetes through consistent monitoring of an OmniPod system, a cordless insulin pump, and a Dexcom sensor, which continuously checks glucose levels throughout the day.
“I basically try to live my life without letting diabetes control me and I hope that (the) money that’s donated today can help other diabetics learn to live in a happier way with diabetes and that someday, we’ll be able to find a cure for it,” Mattiello said.
It was at OHS that Mattiello first developed a love of golf. She said Golf Coach Gretchen Gabler brought a great deal of encouragement to her throughout her time in school.
“After freshman year, I fell in love with golf and I honestly think it’s because of the coach,” Mattiello said. “She’s just amazing. I’ve been on the golf team for four years and I made (the girls varsity golf team) my junior year after (never touching) a golf club until my freshman year… so it’s a bit of an improvement.”
Mattiello started the OSEC program during her sophomore year.
She is part of the first class to graduate through the OSEC program.
The program is a five-year high school experience which allows students, grades 9-13, to take college courses while in school, rather than traditional electives. Each student in the program is required to take a Capstone class focused on service learning.
She says she will graduate with a high school diploma and 60 transferable college credits, as a result of the program.
She plans to attend Oakland University in the fall.
According to Mattiello, there were many donations from businesses in Oxford and Lake Orion that contributed to the fund-raising event’s success. Donors included Tracy’s Boutique Cabi, S&L Auto Body & Glass, Hunter Construction, Harmon Autoglass, Morgan Machining, Ox Bar & Grill, Kroger-Lake Orion, Funky Monkey Toys, ‘Wiches, A&A Flowers, Evergreens Coffee and Bake Shop, Trendy Tz, Vintage Gypsy Garden Market, Tastefully Simple, Thirty-One from Andrea Moore, Oxford 7, Knude Products, Salvage Sisters Boutique, 5-1 Diner and Laura Lee Salon.
She also thanked her parents Don and Tracy Mattiello, Judy Mattiello, Diane Miettunen and Emily Sefcheck for their help with the golf outing.
OHS student takes on Type 1 diabetes added by Elise Shire on
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In July of 2015, it was discovered that I got type 2 diabetes. By the end of the July month, I was given a prescription for the Metformin. I stated with the ADA diet and followed it completely for several weeks but was unable to get my blood sugar below 140. Without results to how for my hard work, I really panicked and called my doctor. His response? Deal with it yourself. I started to feel that something wasn’t right and do my own research. Then I found Rachel’s great blog (google ” HOW I FREED MYSELF FROM THE DIABETES ” ) . I read it from cover to cover and I started with the diet and by the next morning, my blood sugar was 100. Since then, I get a fasting reading between the mid 70s and 80s. My doctor was very surprised at the results that, the next week, he took me off the Metformin drug. I lost 30 pounds in my first month and lost more than 6 inches off my waist and I’m able to work out twice a day while still having lots of energy. The truth is that we can get off the drugs and help myself by trying natural methods
Way to go Kaitlyn! As a fellow type 1 diabetic and T1D researcher from Oxford, thanks for your advocacy! We need more people to advocate for type 1 diabetes, and the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes (the CDC does recognize the difference between the two, but instead lumps them under a “diabetes” umbrella; however, they are very, very different diseases).
Jimmie, I’m glad you are able to control your type 2 diabetes with diet. This, along with exercise is definitely an option for people with T2D; however many who are able to control through lifestyle change alone will start to have insulin resistance again in years to follow, and will most likely need exogenous insulin therapy. Moreover, type 1 diabetes is nothing like type 2 diabetes, in the context of etiology. T1D is a CD8+ T-cell mediated autoimmune disease, where the pancreatic beta cells are selectively destroyed by the body’s own immune system, whereas in T2D, the patient’s body usually still produces plenty of insulin, however peripheral cells become resistant to its action. So, many people can “free” themselves from (type 2) diabetes with diet – this is not a secret, and is part of the treatment regimen recommended by Mayo Clinic. People with type 1 diabetes usually do not take sulfonylureas like metformin, but instead take insulin…the cannot free themselves of insulin, and must remain on insulin therapy for the rest of their life. Again, very different diseases, and it is important to recognize the difference.