A new normal, but bright future for an inspirational 10-year-old

In April 2023, Adler’s parents accompanied her to her pediatrician’s office for a routine checkup. Adler, an outgoing 10-year-old who enjoys playing volleyball, dancing, and jumping on her trampoline had been waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. They were hoping to figure out why this new nighttime routine was happening.

The pediatrician alerted the Miller family of the concern that further testing could potentially lead to a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, meaning Adler’s blood sugar levels tested extremely high. Additional testing at the hospital would confirm this suspicion. Adler and her family spent the next three days meeting with dietitians, social workers, nurses, and doctors, learning how to deal with the challenges of her new normal.

When they transitioned back home, the Miller’s had a lot to adjust to – monitoring carbs, attending quarterly checkups, and administering insulin shots. Adler faces many challenges, one of which is figuring out what foods spike her blood sugar levels. She has a Dexcom device that pairs to a mobile app informing her of her sugar levels. If her blood sugar levels get too low, she needs to eat a fast-acting carb. If her blood sugar level gets too high, an insulin shot must be administered. Adler has been very strong through her journey. On the first day of her diagnosis Adler was brave enough to give herself an insulin shot and has administered nearly every insulin injection since.

Adler and her family faced this challenge head on and one year later are having an easier time settling into her new normal. Adler’s diagnosis makes her no different than anyone else, she and her family are grateful for how they have handled their challenging journey. Adler aspires to become a pediatric endocrinologist because of the care she received from her medical team. She has strong ambitions to make the world a better place. “Living with diabetes makes me feel that I can be inspiring and impactful in mine and others lives,” said Adler.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Adler’s life, including her mom, dad, sister, extended family, friends, and her entire medical team.

Owen’s Brave Journey

Owen Blanton is an energetic 7-year-old who loves dinosaurs and playing outside on his swing set with his twin brother Wyatt and older brother Mason. He enjoys eating mac and cheese and when he can’t be outside playing, he likes to play Jurassic Park on his PlayStation.

In June of 2021, Owen’s parents noticed his lymph nodes were swollen. They went to urgent care where he was diagnosed with strep throat and was prescribed antibiotics. The swelling did not reduce, and Owen was referred to an ear, nose, and throat doctor. The doctors suspected he had an abscess on his tonsils, prescribed additional antibiotics, and suggested coming back later for further evaluation. Owen’s symptoms worsened, including troubled breathing and night sweats.

The Blanton family were referred to oncology specialists where Owen was admitted for eight days. Tests confirmed a diagnosis of t-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Following his diagnosis, Owen went through intense chemotherapy treatment. Treatment worked to reduce leukemia in his body. In December of 2021, the Blanton family received great news that leukemia was no longer detectable in Owen’s body.

After nearly a year of intense treatments Owen entered his maintenance phase. This phase includes a daily chemotherapy pill, monthly checkups, and infusions. Owen will be finished with all treatments in December 2024.

Throughout their journey, Owen and his family have remained strong by taking things one day at a time, trusting their medical team, and leaning into their faith.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Owen’s life, including his mom, dad, twin brother, older brother, and his entire medical team.

Leaha’s Journey Back to the Diamond

In May 2022, on a Friday night at home Leaha, an artsy 12-year-old softball player, was dealing with a bloody nose that wouldn’t stop. Her parents immediately took her to the hospital where they were able to stop the bleeding. Leaha had additional symptoms which caused her parents to request additional blood work to see what may have been the cause.

The Hammaker family stayed at the hospital over the weekend while they completed various tests which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of leukemia. Following her diagnosis, Leaha began her brave journey through chemo and went into remission in June 2022. One of the many challenges during Leaha’s treatment was frequent hospital stays, but she found enjoyment in the creative ways the trained hospital staff interacted with her. She recalled a friendly Nerf battle that took place on her floor once.

Last August Leaha was able to have her port for treatment removed. This allowed her to return to the field and play her favorite sport; softball where she predominantly plays first base and catcher. Leaha is currently in her maintenance phase which includes taking various pills spaced throughout the day and routine lumbar punctures. Throughout her journey, Leaha and her family never gave up. “Battling leukemia makes me feel strong!”, said Leaha.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Leaha’s life, including her parents, sister, two brothers, and her entire medical team.

Engineering a Bright Future by Facing Challenges Head On

Michael, 12 years old, has always been an active child, often found playing baseball, soccer, or engaging in other sports. However, in March of 2024 he started to feel unusually tired, noticed a significant drop in his energy levels, and began losing weight rapidly. In addition, Michael began drinking excessive amounts of water and found himself waking up in the middle of the night.

Michael’s parents scheduled an appointment with a pediatrician and requested blood work in hopes of finding the cause of his symptoms. Shortly before his scheduled doctor's appointment, Michael developed flu-like symptoms. During the visit, the pediatrician completed a blood test to check his sugar levels. The results revealed dangerously high blood sugar, leading to Michael's immediate hospitalization in the ICU. Further tests confirmed the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, and additionally, a kidney stone that would require surgery. While Michael was in the hospital, nurses and other healthcare staff provided education to his family on how to manage diabetes and adapt to their new routines. After this Michael had surgery to correct his kidney issue.

Once back home, Michael took charge of his condition. He researched extensively on managing diabetes and adapted his active lifestyle accordingly. With a knack for numbers, he quickly learned to count carbohydrates, calculate insulin doses, and confidently administer his own insulin shots.

Michael has not allowed diabetes to hinder his active lifestyle. He continues to enjoy playing sports, with the added responsibility of monitoring his blood sugar levels closely. Apart from sports, he actively participates in Science Olympiad, a group-based program through his school tackling challenges related to physics and engineering. Looking ahead, Michael aspires to apply his skills from school and Science Olympiad towards a future career in engineering. In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, sports, working on Science Olympiad projects, and creating objects with his 3D printer. He 3-D printed a protective cover for his Dexcom device that he wears on his arm to monitor his blood sugar levels.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Michael’s life, including his mom, dad, sister, extended family, friends, and his entire medical team.