MT. LEBANON’ S OXENREITER
Feted by JDRF
Mt. Lebanon resident Carol Oxenreiter receives the JDRF Chairman’ s Choice Award.
BY PAUL GLASSER
Mt. Lebanon resident Carol Oxenreiter was recently recognized for her leadership at JDRF, receiving the Chairman’ s Choice Award in June.
She began volunteering for the foundation in 1995, after her 13-month-old daughter, Monica, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Three years later, her son, John, was diagnosed as well, at age 8. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease that prevents an individual’ s pancreas from producing insulin. Insulin is required to help the body extract energy from food. It’ s unclear what causes type 1 diabetes, although genetics may be a factor, and there is no cure for it. Oxenreiter says the diagnosis shocked her because there was no history of type 1 diabetes in either her or her husband’ s family.
“ The onset was extremely rapid,” she says.“ Over a weekend [ Monica ] went from fine to deathly ill.” Since Monica couldn’ t talk yet, Oxenreiter had to monitor her blood sugar constantly. Since there is no cure, Oxenreiter had to carefully control what foods her children ate and how much they exercised. Having blood sugar that is too high or too low could result in a seizure or coma.
“ It’ s a constant balancing act,” she says.“ It’ s a much more difficult disease to control than people ever said it was. You do your best to control it but there are always glitches. But John and Monica never complained, and that’ s the most impressive thing.”
Her children have successfully managed their diabetes. John, now 26, has become an assistant district attorney in the Bronx, New York City, and Monica, now 21, is conducting clinical research at Harvard University. They have also participated in several JDRF events and have lobbied members of Congress. Oxenreiter began assisting the JDRF by volunteering for different events and conducting outreach before joining several committees. She eventually became the chair of the research committee and joined the international board of directors in 2010. The international board of directors coordinates efforts around the world to support research related to treating, preventing or curing type 1 diabetes. She served on the board for six years and will become an advisor and ambassador who gives speeches on behalf of the foundation.
Oxenreiter says she did not know she would receive the chairman’ s choice award, which recognizes some of the foundation’ s most dedicated leaders. She was selected because of her commitment, passion and courage.
“ I was deeply honored,” she says, and is optimistic that new discoveries will lead to more effective treatments for type 1 diabetes. For example, a“ smart” insulin is being developed that would allow individuals with type 1 diabetes to take a pill or injection once a day, as opposed to multiple times per day. The insulin would be released only when the body needs it. In addition, scientists are developing an artificial pancreas that would use computer algorithms to continuously monitor blood sugar and control insulin delivery automatically. She hopes both technologies could be available within a year.
“ It sounds totally crazy and sci-fi, but the speed at which things are being brought into clinical trials is incredible,” Oxenreiter says.“ Things are moving at a much faster pace than they used to.”
JDRF raises money and funds for innovative research related to type 1 diabetes, and for several years Oxenreiter helped solicit and evaluate grant applications. She says JDRF has encouraged researchers to explore ways of curing, treating or preventing type 1 diabetes. That has become increasingly important since government funding for research has been on the decline.
“ We are passionate about trying to move the research forward,” Oxenreiter says.“ The JDRF has really forced the issue.” ■
Mt. Lebanon | Fall 2016 | icmags. com 17