The month of November is recognized as National Diabetes Awareness Month.Millions of people have diabetes — it’s a daily battle that requires hard work and dedication.High school student-athlete diagnosed with type 1 diabetes Eddie Farrar is a 17-year-old football player at Exeter Township High School who was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. “It’s been a really weird process, and it’s not something that I ever thought would happen to me,” Farrar said. “I kind of started experiencing symptoms. A little bit of weight loss. I talked to my trainer and talked to my coaches. We have an amazing training staff here, and she told me you need to go to urgent care; it could be something serious.”When he went to the urgent care, doctors found elevated blood sugar levels and sent him to the emergency room. “I was lucky enough not to stay the night, and after the ER, they basically said you’re going to have to go to CHOP in Hershey,” Farrar said After his diagnosis, Eddie had to spend time away from both school and football.“I tried to go to school that Monday after they told me,” Farrar said. “I realized I can monitor my blood sugar, but there is nothing I can do if it goes too high. I was forced not to go to school or practice, and it was a rough week for me.”Coaching on and off the field But once he returned to normal activities, he was able to lean on some of his coaches for advice. “I’ve had it since I was 15 months old, and when Eddie was diagnosed, I told him you’re going to need people in your life who have dealt with this,” Exeter offensive coordinator JP Gibbons said.Gibbons is one of three coaches on the Eagles staff living with type 1 diabetes. “It’s a long process, especially for younger kids who knew what life was like before T1D,” Gibbons said. “But you just got to stick to it and believe what your doctors say.”Since the diagnosis, Farrar’s goal of playing college football remains the same. “I’m doing it for myself,” Farrar said. “It was my goal to play division one football even before I got diagnosed with diabetes.”Farrar’s message to others: “I’m still going through it myself, but if I could say one thing to myself after I got diagnosed — keep your head up,” Farrar said. “There are people out there who are just as unique as you are who might be going through the same situation, even though you feel like you might be the only one going through it.”
EXETER TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
The month of November is recognized as National Diabetes Awareness Month.
Millions of people have diabetes — it’s a daily battle that requires hard work and dedication.
High school student-athlete diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
Eddie Farrar is a 17-year-old football player at Exeter Township High School who was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
“It’s been a really weird process, and it’s not something that I ever thought would happen to me,” Farrar said. “I kind of started experiencing symptoms. A little bit of weight loss. I talked to my trainer and talked to my coaches. We have an amazing training staff here, and she told me you need to go to urgent care; it could be something serious.”
When he went to the urgent care, doctors found elevated blood sugar levels and sent him to the emergency room.
“I was lucky enough not to stay the night, and after the ER, they basically said you’re going to have to go to CHOP in Hershey,” Farrar said
After his diagnosis, Eddie had to spend time away from both school and football.
“I tried to go to school that Monday after they told me,” Farrar said. “I realized I can monitor my blood sugar, but there is nothing I can do if it goes too high. I was forced not to go to school or practice, and it was a rough week for me.”
Coaching on and off the field
But once he returned to normal activities, he was able to lean on some of his coaches for advice.
“I’ve had it since I was 15 months old, and when Eddie was diagnosed, I told him you’re going to need people in your life who have dealt with this,” Exeter offensive coordinator JP Gibbons said.
Gibbons is one of three coaches on the Eagles staff living with type 1 diabetes.
“It’s a long process, especially for younger kids who knew what life was like before T1D,” Gibbons said. “But you just got to stick to it and believe what your doctors say.”
Since the diagnosis, Farrar’s goal of playing college football remains the same.
“I’m doing it for myself,” Farrar said. “It was my goal to play division one football even before I got diagnosed with diabetes.”
Farrar’s message to others:
“I’m still going through it myself, but if I could say one thing to myself after I got diagnosed — keep your head up,” Farrar said. “There are people out there who are just as unique as you are who might be going through the same situation, even though you feel like you might be the only one going through it.”