Claire sat on the hard chair in the doctor’s office. She
was tired and bored. She wanted to play outside.
Instead she was stuck waiting for her brother—again.

Ever since Andrew found out he had type 1 diabetes a
month ago, it was the same thing. Claire was dragged along
to every single one of Andrew’s doctor appointments.

No one pays any attention to me anymore, Claire thought.
Why do I have to be here?

One day the doctor said that she needed to see Claire,
instead of Andrew. How weird! thought Claire. I don’t
have diabetes. Why would she want to talk to me?

“How would you like to do something really fun?” Andrew’s
doctor asked Claire.

“Who, me?” Claire said.

“Yes, you,” said the doctor, smiling. “Do you like to swim
and play games?”

“Always!” Claire answered.

The doctor told Claire about a special summer day camp
for children who have diabetes and their brothers and sisters.
Claire and Andrew could go together, she said. They would
play games, make crafts, and meet lots of new friends. They
would also learn more about diabetes.

“Can we go?” Claire asked Mom and Dad.

Mom and Dad agreed that camp sounded like a great idea.

T he first day of diabetes camp arrived. Claire and Andrew had so
much fun! Andrew met all kinds of kids who also had diabetes.
They had to take insulin and count their carbs, just like him.

Claire made new friends, too. Many of them had brothers and

sisters who had diabetes, just like Andrew. Claire found out that they

did not like waiting in the doctor’s office either.

All of the kids had a swimming race, and then they ate
hamburgers for lunch. Everyone was excited to be at summer camp!

T he next day at camp was a special parents’ day. All the parents
were invited to spend the day at camp with their children.
Claire and Andrew were excited to take Mom and Dad around
the camp and show them all the things they had done and made.

They were walking to the swimming pool when suddenly Claire
felt a tap-tap-tap on her shoulder. She turned around and there was
a girl she’d never seen before. The girl had red hair and wore a long
purple cape.

“Are you a camper?” asked Claire.

“Sort of,” said the red-headed girl. “I’m The Great Katie Kate!”
She wiggled her nose, which was covered in freckles, and then
looked side to side to see if anyone was watching.

Katie Kate leaned in close and whispered, “You’re Claire, right?”

Claire nodded.

“I have something really special to show you.
Come with me!”

Claire followed The Great Katie
Kate and her purple cape
outside. There was a tent there
with a big banner that said “TrialNet”
over the entrance.

“You’re going to hear about
something really amazing,” said Katie
Kate. “Find your mom and dad and talk
to the scientist inside this tent. He’ll
explain a very special mission that you
can help with.”

“What kind of mission? And what’s
TrialNet?” asked Claire.

“Go get your mom and dad and you’ll
find out! It’s for kids like you who have a
family member who has diabetes.”

Inside the tent, Claire saw many of her new friends
with their parents. All of the kids had a brother
or a sister who had diabetes. A man in the front
smiled at the group and waved to them to sit down.

“Welcome!” said the man. “I am a
scientist with TrialNet. You’re probably
wondering what TrialNet is.” Claire and the
others nodded.

“Well, TrialNet is a group of people
who are working very hard to learn more
about diabetes and to find out how we can
keep kids from getting it. And guess what?
Because you are the brothers and sisters of
kids who have diabetes, you can help us on
a very special mission. Believe it or not, you
can even be the heroes on this mission.”

Aspecial hero’s mission. How exciting! thought Claire. She looked
at Mom and Dad. They were all ears too.

The scientist continued. “You can do something to help
us find answers about diabetes. Do you want to know what that
something special is?”

“Yes!” all the children in the crowd yelled.

“Well, if it is okay with your parents, you can let us do a test here
at camp. When we do the test, we take a small amount of blood from
your arm. It is a very easy to do. Scientists like me will study your
blood. What we find will help us learn about ways to keep kids from
getting diabetes.

“Believe it or not, that’s all there is to it. Just think: maybe one
day kids like your brothers and sisters won’t have to give themselves
shots or have an insulin pump or check their blood sugar
every day. Wouldn’t that be great? That sounds
like being a hero to me.”

Claire listened carefully to the scientist. She liked the
idea of helping Andrew and other kids with diabetes.
She thought it would be really neat to help keep other
kids from getting diabetes.

But Claire suddenly felt a little funny in her tummy.
She was worried. She had a lot of questions about the test.

And just like that, she heard a pssssst from behind the
rows of chairs in the tent.

“Hey, Claire! Over here!” called The Great Katie Kate.
“I know you’re wondering about the test. I can show you
how it works. It really is easy, and if you do it you can be
the hero of the mission!”

“I want to do something to help other kids,” said Claire. “But does the blood
test hurt?”

“Some kids say that it feels like a little poke, and it’s over really
fast,” said Katie Kate. “If you decide to help us, how about you tell me
what it feels like to you?”

Claire liked Katie Kate’s answer.

Claire still had questions for Katie Kate.

“If I help,” asked Claire, “will Andrew not have diabetes anymore?”

“Unfortunately, no,” said Katie Kate. “But you will be helping us find
ways to keep other kids from ever getting diabetes. You’ll be a hero to so
many people you don’t even know.”

“You’re kind of a hero, Katie Kate,” said Claire.

“Well, sort of,” said The Great Katie Kate. “Heroes are brave and do
amazing things to help other people. Brothers and sisters of kids who
have diabetes have a chance to be true heroes!”

Claire was excited about being a hero. “What happens after I take the
test?” she asked. “Will I have to go to the doctor a lot, like Andrew does?”

“Well, most kids are asked to help TrialNet with a blood test once
a year. But if the scientists find something special in your blood, they
might ask you to be a hero again soon. They’ll let you know what your
next mission might be.”

Katie Kate smiled, and Claire smiled back.
Talking about it was making her tummy feel better.

Claire thought about the day
Andrew found out he had diabetes.
She thought about how worried her
parents had been. She thought about how
Andrew had to go to the doctor all the
time, how he had to give himself shots
and check his blood. She remembered
when he had to learn how to use his
insulin pump. And how he had to keep
track of how he was feeling and what
he ate. Claire could not do anything to
change all of that for Andrew, but if she
helped the TrialNet scientist with his
mission, she could make a difference for
other kids. She could be a hero!

“Mom, Dad!” she called. “I want to be a
hero. Can I do the blood test?” She gave a
big thumbs-up.

Soon it was Claire’s turn to get her blood
test. A nurse was going to do the test.

Claire felt a little nervous inside.
Andrew stood by Claire’s side to help her
feel safe while the nurse rubbed a special
magic numbing cream on her arm.

“This cream makes it so you don’t feel the poke as much,” the
nurse said. “You’re doing a great job. Just keep sitting still and we’ll
be done before you know it.”

“I’ve had a lot of blood tests, Claire,” Andrew said. “I know you
can do it! How about we sing a song we learned at camp this week,
and Katie Kate can dance to keep your mind off of the test.”

“You can see Katie Kate?” exclaimed Claire.

“Sure,” said Andrew. “She’s a hero to all kids who have to be
brave and take tests.”

“It’s true! I’m here to help!” said Katie Kate.

Andrew held Claire’s hand and they began to sing while
Katie Kate hopped to the tune. Claire did a great job by
holding very still.

“You’re all finished, Claire!” said Katie Kate as she pressed
a big colorful sticker that said “I’M A TRIALNET
HERO” on Claire’s shirt. “You were so brave and did
such a great job. Thank you so much for helping today!”

“That was it?” said Claire. “That hardly hurt at all. It felt just
like a tiny pinch.”

Claire left camp that day with a very special feeling inside.
She had been worried about the blood test, but she thought
about Andrew and all the other kids she had met who were
living with diabetes. She made a big decision. She decided it
was important to help find a way to keep other kids from getting
diabetes. Claire really was a hero!

All kids like Claire, who have a brother or sister with
diabetes, are special and can help scientists find
a way to keep other kids from getting diabetes.
Even if they do not want to have a blood test, they can be
a hero by supporting their sister or brother with diabetes.
And they can participate in diabetes organizations and
community events to help people learn about diabetes and
to tell others about the importance of research.

There will be times in the future when you will receive
the call to be a hero. When that time comes, think about
all the things Katie Kate said to make Claire feel brave
and you will be ready to join the mission!

T ype 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks
and destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Proteins called
autoantibodies are markers for the destruction of these cells.

TrialNet is an international network of researchers who are exploring ways to prevent,
delay, and provide early treatment for type 1 diabetes. TrialNet offers a screening test that
can detect these autoantibodies in the blood up to ten years before someone is diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes. A major goal of the TrialNet studies is to delay or prevent diabetes in
people with these autoantibodies.

Only 4 to 5 percent of relatives tested will have autoantibodies. If positive, participants
can be monitored in the Pathway to Prevention study and will be offered enrollment in
a prevention study, if eligible. Benefits to monitoring include early detection of type 1
diabetes, which may help maintain insulin secretion and avoid dangerous complications.

You can find out whether you or your children are at risk for type 1
diabetes if:

•  you or your children are one to forty-five years old and you
have a parent, child, brother, or sister with type 1 diabetes,

or

•  you or your children are one to twenty years old and have a
niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, grandparent, half sibling, or cousin
with type 1 diabetes.

If either of these applies, you or your children can have a blood test
as part of the Pathway to Prevention study. TrialNet has over two
hundred study centers. Screenings are provided at no cost. To find
the study center that is closest to you, visit www.diabetestrialnet.org
or call 1-800-425-8361.

You can also provide your consent by going online at
www.pathway2prevention.org.

At no cost, TrialNet will mail you a test kit that can be taken
to a local lab to be administered by a healthcare professional.
The sample will be mailed directly to TrialNet, and results will be
reported within six weeks.

More About Summer Day Camp
for Children with Diabetes

The screening test described in this story is performed with the consent of the child’s parent. The story takes place at a diabetes day camp, where children with diabetes and their sisters and brothers without diabetes can attend together. We recognize that not every diabetes camp offers this arrangement. To find out more about diabetes camps and specific programs offered in your area, contact the Diabetes Education & Camping Association (DECA) at www.diabetescamps.org.

More Books from the Great Katie Kate Series

The Great Katie Kate Offers Answers About Asthma
The Great Katie Kate Tackles Questions About Cancer
The Great Katie Kate Discusses Diabetes
The Great Katie Kate Explains Epilepsy
The Great Katie Kate and the Mystery of the Missing Manners

Also from M. Maitland DeLand, M.D.

Baby Santa
Baby Santa’s Worldwide Christmas Adventure
Baby Santa and the Lost Letters
Baby Santa and the Missing Reindeer
Baby Santa and the Gift of Giving
Busy Bees at Work and Play
Busy Bees on Broadway
Fishing for Flowers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. Maitland DeLand, M.D., is a radiation oncologist specializing in the
treatment of women’s and children’s cancer. She is the founder and former
owner of Oncologics, a group of cancer treatment centers in the southern
United States. One of the leaders in her field, she is the chairman of the Health
Education Authority of Louisiana Board that serves to promote medical
education, research, and healthcare throughout the state. Dr. DeLand also
serves as a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board. She
has dedicated her career to helping her patients and their families lead balanced
and rewarding lives.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Jennifer Zivoin is a children’s book illustrator living in Carmel, Indiana.
Although she has been trained in media ranging from figure drawing to
virtual reality, her passion is bringing stories to life through her watercolor
paintings. Her most recent work has been creating illustrations for Brian
James’s popular Pirate School series.

This book is dedicated to Jay Skyler, M.D.

The information given here is not intended as a substitute for any professional medical
advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. If you suspect that you or someone
you know has a medical problem, you should seek competent medical help.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press

Austin, TX

www.gbgpress.com

Copyright © 2014 M. Maitland DeLand, M.D.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without
written permission from the publisher.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group LLC

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact
Greenleaf Book Group at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group LLC

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group LLC

Illustrations by Jennifer Zivoin

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62634-122-7

Ebook Edition