Diabetes Survivor Wins National Creative Competition
The teenager has managed to thrive as an honor student at his Virginia high school and to successfully channel adversity through creativity.
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November 9, 2009
At a time when most of his peers worry about their SAT scores and prom dates, Dalton Clark has an additional challenge to face every day - he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in early 2008. Nonetheless, he has managed to thrive as an honor student at his Virginia high school and to successfully channel adversity through creativity.
In fact, Clark has recently been named one of two national grand-prize winners of the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition which asks survivors to share their stories through essays, poems, art or photography.
The 16-year-old touched the jurors by offering a compelling insight into the life of a teenager with the disease. As for his advice to other young people who receive the same diagnosis, "I would encourage them to learn as much as possible about their condition because with proper control, diabetes should not limit what you can accomplish," he says.
An estimated 151,000 people below the age of 20 have diabetes and more than 13,000 are diagnosed each year in North America, according to the statistics from the Centers for Disease Control.
Doctors say that even though some cases cannot be prevented on account of their genetic component, factors such as excessive weight, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are also major contributing factors, but are remediable.
Families struggling with diabetes may explore the resources of the American Diabetes Association, which is one of the sponsors of the Inspired by Diabetes campaign and accepts donations from interested individuals.
At a time when most of his peers worry about their SAT scores and prom dates, Dalton Clark has an additional challenge to face every day - he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in early 2008. Nonetheless, he has managed to thrive as an honor student at his Virginia high school and to successfully channel adversity through creativity.
In fact, Clark has recently been named one of two national grand-prize winners of the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition which asks survivors to share their stories through essays, poems, art or photography.
The 16-year-old touched the jurors by offering a compelling insight into the life of a teenager with the disease. As for his advice to other young people who receive the same diagnosis, "I would encourage them to learn as much as possible about their condition because with proper control, diabetes should not limit what you can accomplish," he says.
An estimated 151,000 people below the age of 20 have diabetes and more than 13,000 are diagnosed each year in North America, according to the statistics from the Centers for Disease Control.
Doctors say that even though some cases cannot be prevented on account of their genetic component, factors such as excessive weight, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are also major contributing factors, but are remediable.
Families struggling with diabetes may explore the resources of the American Diabetes Association, which is one of the sponsors of the Inspired by Diabetes campaign and accepts donations from interested individuals.
