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Courtney Long - “Katie Beatty Fights Chronic Illness: The Story Behind a Type I Diabetic”
Katie Beatty Fights Chronic Illness
The Story Behind a Type 1 Diabetic
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By J1 Reporter Courtney Long
Every year in December, Katie Beatty is reminded of her and her son’s diagnosis. Katie and Nicholas Beatty were both diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in December at 8 years old. On top of that, they were both diagnosed in the same exact hospital. Nicholas and Katie clearly have a connection like no other; Katie says, “Oh, he’s my little dude. We definitely have a bond, and it’s wonderful because with this disease only those who go through it really know the ins and outs of it, and it’s very special.” As a mother and son who share this disease, a strong relationship is necessary for a battle against T1D. Katie and Nicholas continue to outshine the needed bonds for this disease and go above and beyond within the growth in their relationship. As a mom of 4 kids, Katie is forced to stay on her toes every day and does not have much time to lay low. Katie is involved in her kids’ lives and is currently working her dream job. She stays busy working at Medtronic which allows her to work with other people who have been diagnosed with diabetes and is so grateful that helping other people is a huge factor in her job. At times it may feel impossible to keep going, but her family inspires her every day to keep fighting.
Alongside her family, God plays a key role in her life. “I’ve learned I don’t need to do everything on my own and that I do have God. It strengthens my relationship with Him as I lean into Him more and navigate my child having the disease,” Katie said. While keeping God and her family the closest to her, she can live confidently with no regrets
After her teenage years being altered from the disease, she wants her teenage self to know, “Stay true to who you are. Follow your intuition, it will never lead you wrong. What you think is awful right now will pass, and just be yourself. That is all God wants us to be and that is what the world needs.”
Even after the days where her blood sugar is too low or too high, she learns to forgive herself. Katie’s dayto-day life is tweaked and adjusted by how low or high her blood sugar is that day and by being extra careful to count her carbs and keep track of everything entering her mouth. She has gone through this process every single day since she was an 8-year-old little girl.
Katie does not tell people she is an inspiration to others. Instead, every day she shows she is an inspiration through her actions to not only the T1D patients who count on her at Medtronic, but also the average person wanting to be a good human. Katie and Nicholas take this disease on together, one step at a time. Their support for each other is endless and will only get stronger as the years go by. Katie continues to grow as an inspiration to the world around her.
