Click here to see more pictures of Kennedy
GirlWise:
First, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Kennedy:
Well, I’m a junior at Macalester College. My major is sociology, and I think I
want to be a teacher. Probably kindergarten; elementary school for sure.
GirlWise:
What sports do you like to play?
Kennedy:
Soccer! I started when I was 8, so I guess that means I’ve played for a total
of 13 years. I also play ultimate Frisbee. I would play ultimate more, but
soccer takes up a lot of my time. It’s a year-round sport for me.
GirlWise:
What do you like about team sports?
Kennedy:
You really learn how to relate to others, and how others relate to you. I mean,
teams are a bunch of really different people who are all working together
towards a common goal. And you have a role in it, too. It makes you be
aware of everyone’s strong points and weak points in the game, and you need to
know your own, too. That way, you can best emphasize the strengths of the whole
team.
GirlWise:
How have team sports helped you in life?
Kennedy:
Soccer has really helped with my confidence and body image. I have learned
healthy habits like exercise and eating right. And I know that you don't
need to be skinny. It’s really healthy to have
a little meat on your bones.
GirlWise:
What’s your training like?
Kennedy:
It’s pretty normal stuff. I lift weights, do sprints, run, and work on agility
and flexibility. I actually train a lot harder in the off-season. During the
soccer season, it’s my coach’s philosophy to just lay it all out for the
games, so we don’t ever exhaust ourselves during practice.
GirlWise:
What sorts of things do you eat to stay healthy?
Kennedy:
I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I try to get good, healthy protein, too, like
chicken and tuna. I put some red meat in my diet, too, because it’s high in
iron. But, I’m not a vegetarian because of my diabetes. Not having meat in my
diet would mean I’d eat more carbohydrates, and that means I’d have to raise
how much insulin I use.
GirlWise:
Can you explain your diabetes?
Kennedy:
Sure! I have Type I diabetes. It’s sometimes called “juvenile diabetes”
because you’re usually diagnosed with it when you’re young, like before
you’re 20. It’s an autoimmune disease, which basically means that your own
body hurts itself. Here’s how it works: your body makes beta cells in
your pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin, which your body needs to turn
sugar (or glucose) into usable energy. Insulin is a hormone that
lets sugar into your red blood cells so that you have energy to do all the
things you need to do.
Glucose is really important. It’s your body’s first
source of energy. And, glucose is the only type of energy that your brain can run
on. That’s why it’s really hard to concentrate when you’re hungry. The problem is that
my body has decided to kill off all the beta cells. So, I don’t
produce insulin, and can’t get energy from food. That’s why I have to give
myself insulin shots.
GirlWise:
Whew! That’s a lot of information! Kind of complicated!
Kennedy:
Yeah, I guess so. Oh, and here’s something else that’s interesting: You know
how diabetics need to take shots to get their insulin? That’s because
insulin is a hormone, and if you were to take it in a pill or something, your
body would just break it down and not use it at all!
GirlWise:
Whoa! That’s interesting. Can you tell me what happened when you were
diagnosed?
Kennedy:
Sure can. I was 14 years old, and I went to the doctor for a sinus infection.
Just before I went to the doctor, my mom noticed that my appetite had gone way
up, and I was eating a TON. But, the funny thing was that I was also losing a
lot of weight. I was peeing all the time, too, and I told that to the doctor
when I went in. Because of that, they checked my urine. Whenever they test
urine, they always check to see if
your body is spilling sugar. Mine was, so they tested my blood and found out I
had diabetes.
What happened was, my body couldn’t use any of the energy
from the food I was eating because I had no insulin. Instead, all of the sugar
was going down the toilet. So basically, my body was running on nothing. Even
though I was eating all the time, my body was starving because it couldn’t use
any of the food.
GirlWise:
Wow! I’m learning all about diabetes! I guess I didn’t really know
much about it before.
Kennedy:
Good! I’m glad you’re learning. It’s pretty interesting. So anyway, after
I found out I had it, I spent the next three days learning all about the disease
at the International Diabetes Center.
GirlWise:
Three whole days?
Kennedy:
Yep. There’s a lot to learn. Like, I had to learn all about how to keep my
blood sugar normal. For a long time, I gave myself five shots of insulin a day.
This summer, though, I switched over to a thing called an insulin pump. I
have this little machine attached to me all the time. It’s always right under
my shirt, except for when I’m playing soccer. Otherwise, I keep it on. Even
when I shower and sleep. With this thing, I give myself one shot every other day
to set it up. Then, as long as it’s on, I have a constant stream of insulin
coming into my body. It's great, but it was really weird to get used to. I mean, I have
something attached to me all the time.
GirlWise:
What do you have to do from day to day to make sure your blood sugar is okay?
Kennedy:
I’m always testing my blood sugar to make sure it’s normal. I also have to
always be aware of what I’m eating. My body has a specific food to insulin
ratio, and I need to make sure I follow it. I have to take everything I do into
account. Like, for example, exercise burns glucose, so I need to use insulin to
get to the glucose in my body.
GirlWise:
Seems like you need to keep track of a lot of stuff.
Kennedy:
I do. But I try my best to keep it under control The more control you have over
diabetes, the less it controls you.
GirlWise:
Has having diabetes changed you at all?
Kennedy:
Oh yeah! A ton! It has really made me more sensitive to other people’s needs.
Diabetes is something that I always have to think about just to get
through one day. If someone has a problem in their life- physical, mental,
emotional, whatever- I feel like I can understand what they’re going through.
I can relate. Their problem is like their own disease. It’s their diabetes.
GirlWise:
Does it ever make you mad? Do you feel like it’s unfair that you have diabetes
and other people don’t even have to think about it?
Kennedy:
Well, hmm. More than getting mad about it, I think it really makes me value what
I can do. I mean, I could’ve had something worse, you know? I could
have had something that kept me from playing soccer. But with diabetes, as long
as I’m in control, I can avoid having problems with it.
GirlWise:
Does it ever stop you from doing what you want to do?
Kennedy:
No way. I don’t let it. I still do whatever I would normally do. You gotta
live! Every day should be lived to the fullest. Otherwise, what’s the point?
That’s my motto. I really try to live that way. The world is out there for us
to explore, so why not experience it all!?!
GirlWise:
Seems like diabetes has influenced you a lot! Have there been any other major
influences in your life?
Kennedy:
Oh, yeah. Sure. Besides diabetes, which has taught me a ton, there’s my
mom. She’s a big part of my life. Soccer has taught me a bunch, too. I also
had an incredible experience my senior year of high school. I spent three and a
half months backpacking and traveling around Europe. I had friends there, and my
mom came to see me for a little while, but other than that, I was all alone. It
was an incredible experience. I had a lot of time to reflect. I read a bunch of
books, and the trip really made me value emotions more. It made me more
spiritual person.
GirlWise:
Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
Kennedy:
I guess I just want people to know that they’re not alone in the world. Just
know that there are people out there who care about you. I think that team
sports can help with that, too. When you’re a part of a team, you always have
a whole network of people to support you. You have teammates, coaches, and
everyone’s parents who’ll be there for you.
GirlWise:
Yeah. I guess you’re right!
Kennedy:
Uh huh. I mean, everyone is unique and different, but no one is separate. We all
need each other. It’s important to remember that we all have things to offer
each other, too. You need to know what you have to give, and to be confident
about giving it. Being there for others is important, too.
GirlWise:
Hey Ken, do you have any role models?
Kennedy:
Oh sure. There’s my mom, of course. Oh, and my grandma has been a big support.
There’s my coach, Dave, too. He’s extremely hard on me. A lot of times, I
thought he was going to break me. I guess when he sees potential, he’ll work
it out of you no matter what. And he’s really generous with his money and
time. He’d do anything for his players.
GirlWise:
Any advice you want to give to GirlWise girls?
Kennedy:
Yeah. Just always have a positive outlook on life. It’s really important.
You’ll be so much happier if you do.
GirlWise:
That’s great, Ken. Thanks so much for the interview!
Kennedy: Yeah, sure. Bye!