Updated 03/07/2013 04:50 PM
Parents Urged to Get Children Tested After Teen Dies From Undetected Juvenile Diabetes
A Wayne County teen died unexpectedly this week after suffering complications from juvenile diabetes. The teen died at the Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong.
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A spokesperson for the family tells YNN that 13-year-old Mark "MJ" Deary of Clyde was not feeling well last Thursday and was sent home from school.
After showing no improvement over the weekend, his father found MJ unresponsive on Monday. The teen was taken to Geneva General Hospital, then transferred to Golisano Childrens Hospital, where he later died. That's when the family learned MJ had juvenile diabetes.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is focused on finding a cure for the disease through research. The Rochester chapter conducts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money that goes toward that research.
The JDRF says there are simple warning signs that may indicate a person is diabetic.
"Frequent thirst, drowsiness, constant urination, sudden weight loss, blurry vision, fruity breath, your breath smelling very fruity are the main symptoms," said Mary Anne Fox, JDRF.
Fox, the executive director of the JDRF Rochester chapter, says amazing progress has been made over the last five years or so in combating this disease.
"We're working now on an artificial pancreas, encapsulation and those things are the future for people who have T1D (type 1 diabetes). Obviously, our goal is to find a cure," Fox said.
Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas stops working and the patient needs insulin injections.
The Deary family is encouraging parents to have their kids tested for diabetes at least once a year.
"If anything good comes out of this, if it saves one child and they don't have to go through this, please encourage people," said Erika Kallam, Mark's mother.
You have to ask for the test, it's a simple urine test to test for juvenile diabetes. It's a test you have to ask for that you don't even think about asking for, and this is so preventable. If we knew he had it obviously we would have done something."
Mark's mother also thanked the community for its support and helping the family get through this difficult time.