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(WHTM) — A 10-year-old girl from the Midstate is headed to Washington D.C.
She was chosen to be part of the National Children’s Congress as a delegate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Ten-year-old Emily Fleming has type one diabetes. Fleming was diagnosed back in 2020 at the age of seven. She now uses technology to monitor her sugar and insulin intake by packs she wears on both her stomach and art that communicate.
Prior to that, it was all the pricking of a finger.
“Other people got it when they were like two and that’s just crazy to me,” Fleming said.
Crazy to her because the 10-year-old says she feels lucky to know what normal feels like – what these younger children do not.
“Every day is a learning experience, and one of the best pieces of advice her endocrinologist gave us at the beginning is its constant playing defense,” mother Lisa Fleming said.
Emily deals with her diagnosis on a daily basis, with the help of her mom, Lisa.
“Ever since she was diagnosed in June 2020, we, JDRF (was) one of the first folks to reach out to us and say ‘Hey here’s the resources we have’,” Lisa said.
With Emily’s passion and knowledge, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation let the Felmmings know she could also apply to become a delegate on the 2023 Children’s Congress in DC, advocating in front of some of the nation’s top legislators.
With over 700 applicants, Emily started the process.
This is a life source people gotta live too!” Fleming said.
It was not easy, but the rockstar (coined by Emily herself) created a presentation, and a scrapbook and studied up enough to be selected as one of the four Pennsylvania JDRF delegates that will head to the nation’s capitol this weekend.
“I am hopeful I am their hero in some way because some families can’t even afford insulin,” Fleming said.
Which is what every diabetic needs to survive and how younger children, as Emily says, can feel normal.
Emily will begin advocating on Sunday.
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