HAKEEM: PROVIDED
the gym, sports activities and including a healthy amount of
vegetables in his diet.

He also has the support of his mother, Nimota Shonubi.

One way Wolf says parents can support their chil-
dren is to highlight successful people and role models
who have diabetes, such as Tom Hanks, Nick Jonas or
Sonia Sotomayor.

“A lot of people are very worried about complications,”
Wolf says. “We tell our families and children that that
doesn’t have to be them. ‘As long as you take care of your
diabetes, that’s not going to happen’.”
For managing type 2 diabetes, Wolf recommends planning
balanced meals with a nutrition team, making sure to get
enough fruits and vegetables, staying physically active and
avoiding sugary beverages and unhealthy foods.

Parents should look for local support groups, camps
and programs. Wolf herself founded Camp Charm City, an
annual five-day camp for children ages 6 to 12, on the cam-
pus of Johns Hopkins University.

Wolf, who remains the camp’s medical director,
says the camp is a place where kids with diabetes can
be kids while they learn to eat nutritious meals and
monitor their glucose levels.

The social benefits Wolf has observed from the camp have
been huge. Prior to attending, many of the children had never
met another child with their condition, but once they find
themselves surrounded by a whole camp of these students,
they start to feel like they aren’t so different after all. 1
❝It’s important to
understand that
each condition
is distinct❞
— RISA WOLF
TYPE 1 DIABETES is caused by
an autoimmune disease where
the beta cells of the pancreas
are attacked by a person’s own
antibodies and can no longer
produce insulin like they should.

Hakeem - Before
TYPE 2 DIABETES is generally
described as a state of insulin
resistance. This type of diabetes
is most often seen in children
who are overweight or obese,
but there are other risk factors.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES is
typically a temporary condition
that occurs while pregnant and
usually goes away after the baby
is born.

Hakeem - After
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