Since she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Cindy McLean91裸聊视频檚 body91裸聊视频檚 immune system has been attacking itself, destroying insulin-producing beta cells in her pancreas. Those cells are needed to convert blood sugar into energy.
91裸聊视频淭he kidney disease didn91裸聊视频檛 come until about 45 years (after the diagnosis),91裸聊视频� says McLean. 91裸聊视频淎s much as you try and control your blood sugars, you can91裸聊视频檛 do it all the time. It just doesn91裸聊视频檛 work that way.91裸聊视频�
Growing up with Type 1 diabetes, McLean says, was a challenge. Her classmates were always asking why she was allowed to get juice or candy when no one else could. Sometimes this would lead her to hide when her blood sugar was low, causing her to go into a seizure.
Another challenge was the lack of knowledge on diabetes. While medical professionals and scientists know a lot more about diabetes, there is still a lot to learn, like what causes Type 1 diabetes. Leading theories suggest genetic and environmental factors lead to the autoimmune disease.
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McLean, who was born and raised in Campbell River, started struggling with kidney disease 17 or so years ago and needed a transplant when she started going into renal failure 11 years ago. She didn91裸聊视频檛 find a donor until last year.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not sure how long Heather [Thomas] has been in Campbell River, but we91裸聊视频檝e kind of always known each other like acquaintances,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淲e would run into each other. Of course, she91裸聊视频檚 a dance instructor, so she was teaching at my granddaughter91裸聊视频檚 school 91裸聊视频� who lives with me full time 91裸聊视频� so we would talk there.91裸聊视频�
When McLean started her business, Thomas would come to visit her. At one point, Thomas, whose son also lives with Type 1 diabetes, was adamant she was a match for McLean and continued looking into it. McLean wasn91裸聊视频檛 so confident Thomas would be match after searching for a kidney donor for ten years, including putting an ad out in the Campbell River Mirror.
91裸聊视频淪ure enough, probably six months later she comes into the shop and says 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 your match,91裸聊视频� McLean says.
The transplant was originally supposed to happen in June 2023, but it didn91裸聊视频檛 work out for either of the two. Thomas called McLean and said the only time they could do it was on July 19.
91裸聊视频淚 said, 91裸聊视频榊ou got to be kidding me, that91裸聊视频檚 my birthday.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� So she said, 91裸聊视频淥h my God, do you want to do it on your birthday?91裸聊视频� recalls McLean.
Her response? 91裸聊视频淗ell yeah, we91裸聊视频檙e going to do it on my birthday.91裸聊视频�
She couldn91裸聊视频檛 have received a better birthday present.
The transplant was a success. McLean still needs to go to Vancouver every three weeks.
91裸聊视频淲hat happened while I was there is the Kidney Research Institute approached me and they said I was the perfect candidate to start this new drug they are trying to get approved. After, listening to their story, I was like this is a no-brainer, so I decided I91裸聊视频檓 going to do this research, I91裸聊视频檓 actually on the research team.91裸聊视频�
The drug is AT-1501, also known as Tegoprubart. It was originally developed to treat ALS and Alzheimer91裸聊视频檚 disease. McLean is one of seven people worldwide trialling the drug for Type 1 Diabetes. The trial is only in phase one of three.
While she is in Vancouver, she has to take intravenous medication for the research.
91裸聊视频淲e still have phase two and phase three to get through, but as it goes now I91裸聊视频檓 feeling amazing, I91裸聊视频檓 doing amazing, everything is just going really good,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚 started at eight/nine pills a day. I91裸聊视频檓 now down to three.91裸聊视频�
Before the transplant, McLean had to adhere to a very strict diet, like fruit and vegetables or anything very high in potassium. Now, she can eat and drink almost anything, except grapefruit, green teas and Earl Grey because they interfere with her medication.
91裸聊视频淭he first thing I had after my transplant was French fries. I haven91裸聊视频檛 had French fries or potatoes in ten years91裸聊视频hey weren91裸聊视频檛 even the best French fries but they were good.91裸聊视频�
