A KICK AGAINST DIABETES

For 16-year-old Taylor Roukey, the injections and finger pricks are as much a part of the game-day routine as the warmup drills and postgame handshakes.

Taylor is a varsity player on Foundation Academy’s soccer team who battles Type 1 diabetes. Before a game, she consumes a sugary snack or beverage to keep her blood sugar level stable. During and after a game, she pricks her finger, puts the blood on a test strip, and runs it through a blood glucose monitor to check her levels. If it is too high, she administers an insulin shot. If it is too low, she drinks a Gatorade or eats a piece of candy.

She must also be mindful of how the combination of exercise and insulin drastically lowers blood glucose levels. As a result, she reduces her insulin dosages for 18 hours following a soccer game.

While this seems like tremendous responsibility for someone her age, Taylor has been battling to stay one step ahead of diabetes since being diagnosed at age 7. She has little choice. If left unmonitored or untreated, the disease is fatal.

Taylor, who plays striker on her soccer team, loves running up and down the fi eld and taking shots at the goal. But she realizes her most important shots occur throughout the course of a day.

“I give myself insulin shots in my arms and legs,” she said. “If you don’t learn to take control of diabetes, then it will take control of you.”

That can-do attitude helps Taylor live a rather normal life for someone with her condition. In addition to soccer, the honor roll student plays on her school’s volleyball team and actively participates in CrossFit.

Taylor openly talks about her diabetes battle to inspire fellow teenagers. In fact, during National Diabetes Month in November, she enthusiastically shared her triumphs and struggles in front of 400 students who packed Foundation Academy’s auditorium.

“I really enjoyed doing that. Teenagers tend to bottle up their feelings when they struggle with life’s challenges. I wanted them to learn what I go through everyday and teach them how they can successfully cope with their own problems.”

Her inspirational

17-minute speech especially touched the heart of her father, Eric Roukey, a financial advisor in Clermont who attended.

“When I stopped crying, I realized what this girl goes through just to survive. I see what she endures on a daily basis, but to hear her say it in a compelling way was an awesome experience.”

Taylor turned 16 this month and is experiencing the wonderful world of driving. She realizes that, for her, safety precautions entail much more than driving the speed limit or stopping at red lights.

“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel,” she says, “but I’ll never leave the driveway without having my glucose monitor, candy, juice boxes, and bananas in my car.”