Holly Elementary student uses illness to teach others

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Rob and Maika Hogarth

HOLLY, Michigan – Maika Hogarth sat perched on the window sill of Carrie Woodzell’s third-grade classroom, clinging to her dad’s arm as they both listened to Woodzell read a very special story to her students.

Woodzell told the story of Jayson, an elementary school student, who happens to have a lot in common with Maika – they both suffer from type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 or juvenile diabetes is a devastating and often life-threatening disease that affects millions of people – a large and growing percentage of them children. While insulin assists in keeping those afflicted with type 1 diabetes alive, it’s not a cure.

On Friday, Maika and her dad, Rob, 36, visited classrooms at Holly Elementary School, educating students about the disease, and asking students for their help.

Maika will take part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk to Cure Diabetes in Ann Arbor on Oct. 4, and hopes to help raise the $105 million necessary to fund research for a cure for the disease and its complications.

After reading the story, Maika and her dad further educated the students, explaining and demonstrating what daily blood tests are all about, and talking about the five insulin shots Maika takes every day, and why they’re necessary.

“Let’s say you go home from school and there’s a huge plate of cookies waiting for you on the counter in the kitchen,” Rob said. “If getting one of those cookies meant that you had to get a shot, who would still want one?”

Several boys raised their hands.

“That’s what Maika has to do,” Rob said. “If Maika wants a cookie, then many times, it means she has to have a shot.”

Holly Elementary School students will help their classmate this week as they take part in a coin drive for Juvenile Diabetes. Students are asked bring in all the spare change they can afford and dump it into their designated grade-level jar. The grade that collects the most money for Juvenile Diabetes wins an ice cream party, courtesy of the DQ Grill and Chill, 1120 N. Saginaw.

Those wishing to help in the cause can do so by visiting Maika’s Web site at http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87392471. The process is easy, and only takes a couple minutes. All on-line donations will be added to the coin collection, so be sure to mention your child’s grade level in the memo field.

For more information on juvenile diabetes, visit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Web site at http://www.jdrf.org/.