From Rochester-Rochester Hills Patch

Baldwin Elementary second-grader Andrew Navetta to bring his story to Detroit this week to raise awareness, find a cure.

By John McKay

Andrew Navetta of Rochester Hills is just like most other seven-year-olds, spending his free time running around in the woods behind his home and playing with friends and his twin brother, Nick, while attending second grade at Baldwin Elementary.

Diagnosed at just 22 months old with Type 1 diabetes, Andrew doesn’t let his routine of 7-10 daily blood-sugar tests and around-the-clock monitoring affect his ability to just be a kid.

“The rest of my life is pretty fun,” says Andrew, who will share his experience managing the disease at MGM Grand in Detroit this Friday for the 28th Annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Promise Ball, which will help raise funds to find a cure for for Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease currently without a cure and Andrew, whose pancreas produces little to no insulin, can see his blood sugar fluctuate based on a variety of environmental factors such as diet, exercise and stress, according to his mother, Shari Navetta.

“Everything affects (his blood sugar),” Shari Navetta said. “Everything he does sends his blood sugar up or down.”

Andrew’s daily routine might be daunting for some: An electronic device strapped to Andrew’s waist feeds insulin into his body through a tube, and Andrew undergoes about 7-10 blood sugar tests each day.

The circumstances create an ongoing math equation for Andrew’s parents, who make up for blood sugar deficiencies by feeding Andrew carbohydrates or quell high blood sugar by administering insulin to keep their son’s blood sugar levels stable.

Andrew Shares His Story, Advocates for Cure

After about three years of adhering to Andrew’s strict routine, Shari Navetta said, the family decided two years ago to start networking with others who share the same experience.

The Navettas began attending a monthly Breakthrough T1D coffee social and started to open up about Andrew’s daily challenges with the support group. This support group afforded Andrew an opportunity to share his story with a wider audience, Shari Navetta said.

At this Friday’s Promise Ball, Andrew will unveil a video where he shares his experience dealing with having Type 1 diabetes and will help the Breakthrough T1D solicit funds for a cure. He is joined in the video by his paternal grandfather, Robert Navetta of Milford, who also is a Type 1 diabetic.

“If we share his story, touch people’s hearts, hopefully they’ll donate to the cause,” Shari Navetta said. “It’s a way to somehow give back and it’s an easy way for us to explain what we do every day.”

She also has focused her efforts on educating others about the disease. She currently is working on a children’s book that illustrates the special daily requirements for those with Type 1 diabetes.

Andrew, meanwhile, isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. This summer, his efforts will take him to Capitol Hill as a delegate to the Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress. Andrew will travel to Washington, D.C. from July 8-10 with a group of 150 children ages 4-17 to demonstrate their need for better treatments—and a cure.