Mid-February update

We've gotten word of several very exciting new research efforts and a very ambitious new initiative by the JDRF we'd like to share with all of you.

The sheer diversity of the approaches and efforts being used to tackle discovery of the causes and cures of Type I diabetes is simply amazing. Clearly, this disease has captured the curiosity of some of the world's best and brightest scientists. We hope that someday their efforts will eradicate this disease or at least make it easily treated so other children won't have to experience life limitations like Shelby does.

$1 billion in 5 years for research
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has announced it's goal of generating $1 billion in the next five years to take Type I Diabetes research from the laboratory into practical applications to improve the lives of real people. This is a very exciting opportunity.
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Progress in transplants for diabetes
Doctors believe anti-inflammatory drugs may be useful in increasing the success of islet transplants. These common medications may improve the viability of donor insulin-producing islet cells allowing better success rates in diabetes patients.
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Improving pancreas-kidney transplant outcomes
Researchers at UC San Francisco are exploring using non-steroid immunosuppressive drugs to improve organ acceptance in one of the most invasive diabetes treatment operations now performed.
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Gene-disease connections studied
In this pretty technical article, a UC San Francisco researcher talks about his work in decoding part of the genetic mystery that may allow doctors in the future to suppress certain protein interactions to prevent serious diseases, including diabetes.
An exciting part of this article is that the researcher involved relocated his lab from MIT to UCSF, which says a lot about the level of commitment and medical care available locally for us to help Shelby.
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Fast-tracking beta cell studies
UCSF researchers have joined the national team of scientists working on learning how to produce new beta cells for injection into the pancreas of someone with diabetes. Beta cells are the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas that are destroyed by an autoimmune reaction that leads to diabetes.
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Can anti-oxidant prevent diabetic complications?
That's the enticing question researchers are bringing to a common anti-oxidant compound know to lesser some of known complications of diabetes. Now, they are running a trial to see if the compound not only treats symptoms, but can actually prevent them. This is new research just starting, so results won't for forthcoming for a while. Still, very exciting!
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Live donor breakthrough; some inspiration

Successful living islet cell transplant
A daughter with Type I diabetes successfully received insulin-producing islets cells from her mother pancreas, the BBC has reported.

The procedure performed at Kyoto University Hospital in Japan opens new possibilities for a curative surgery for those with diabetes. The report indicated that within minutes of the surgical implant, the cells were producing insulin in the daughter's pancreas.

Previously, islet cells transplants involved deceased donors. The cells were often damaged and there was an increased risk of rejection. Using a live donor reduces these risks.

More research is needed, but this is another exciting breakthrough in battling diabetes.
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Disease is no barrier to young athlete
One of the aspects of diabetes people tend to focus on is what the patient can't do: Carb intake needs to be monitored; Can't leave the house with a test kit: Can't go on long trips without careful planning.

What we've always emphasized is all the things Shelby CAN do. The sky is the limit, she just has to be more aware of her physical body than other people.

Slam Sports in Canada ran a recent story about Rob Chappell who plays hockey for the University of Nebraska. Not only is ice hockey a major contact sport, it takes lots of stamina and energy.

Yet Chappell has found ways to excel through careful management of his diabetes, which he's had for 12 years. He carbo-loads like crazy before games to keep his blood sugar up while his muscles work.

The best tribute comes from Rob Clarke, an NHL hall of fame player from the 1970s: "If you can put the puck in the net, who cares if you've got diabetes?"
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