OSWEGO – Former Oswego City School District student Claudia Chetney hasn’t let her chronic condition deter her from becoming a successful athlete.
The Type 1 diabetic, now 18 years old, has taken good care of her body so she could continue to excel in athletics.
As a freshman at LeMoyne College, playing Division 2 soccer, Chetney received the honor of being named a Team Type 1 Ambassador.
Through advocacy and education, she has taught her friends and community members that her diagnosis never changed her determination.
“Just because we’re diabetics, doesn’t mean we can’t do whatever everyone else does,” she said.
That was the message the now 18-year-old detailed, as part of her ambassadorship, while she spent time at several OCSD buildings during her college winter break.
The former Kingsford Park Elementary School student recalled having to frequently visit the nurse to give herself insulin injections.
During Chetney’s recent visit with the entire KPS sixth grade class, she explained a pancreas is supposed to make insulin, Type 1 diabetics need insulin injections because their pancreas doesn’t produce it on its own, its importance of turning food into energy, how she must check her blood sugar levels daily and how she is supported by an athletic trainer on her soccer team.
Several sixth graders were engaged in the presentation and asked Chetney questions about her food choices, how she checks her blood sugar levels and her exercise routines, among several additional inquiries.
