20 Nov

The Wright State women’s basketball program has partnered with SLAMT1D to broaden awareness of Type 1 diabetes for its home contest against Slippery Rock on Monday, November 20.

SLAMT1D supports children, families, and adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The non-profit organization strives to broaden awareness, educate others, and advocate for T1Ders and their families while also seeking to improve T1D education among school nurses, athletic trainers, and coaches. SLAMT1D issues grants and sponsorships to other T1D organizations in addition to helping children with T1D attend camps and participate in sports activities and programs. Through donations, SLAMT1D provides better access to and more affordability of life-sustaining medications such as insulin.

SLAMT1D will distribute free bracelets and flyers inside the Nutter Center on Monday. Custom SLAMT1D t-shirts will be tossed out during the game. Donations to SLAMT1D can be made by clicking here.

T1D is a lethal, life-altering autoimmune disease that afflicts nearly two million people in the United States alone. An average of 175 people are diagnosed with T1D each day in the U.S. There currently is no cure, and the number of annual diagnoses is on the rise.

Ellie Magestro-Kennedy, a freshman guard on the Raider women’s basketball team, was diagnosed with T1D three years ago. On a daily basis, she is required to check blood glucose (sugar) levels, administer and adjust insulin dosages, and calculate meal carbs (regular and pre-and post-workout/practice/games).

Current pump devices and continuous glucose monitors offer alternatives to multiple daily injections, but glucose testing, injections and/or device infusion changes still require hundreds, even thousands of needle sticks, infusion, and device changs along with constant monitoring of glucose levels each year.

Despite facing daily challenges, Magestro-Kennedy is one of many athletes competing in a sport at the collegiate level, inspiring youth living with T1D.