PEOPLE SPOTLIGHT: All-Star Advocate

Hunter Sego

Real Stories About Real People

All throughout April, the American Diabetes Association honors its thousands of volunteers in advance of Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 27 – May 3.  Volunteers are the heart and soul of ADA.  Without them, it would be impossible to accomplish ADA’s mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Bright-eyed and high-spirited, Hunter Sego runs across the field, focused intently on his game.  He wears his grass-stained uniform with pride, and he can’t wait to score another goal for his team. This is a good day. There are also days when Hunter needs to sit out, not because he is being punished, but because he has low blood glucose – Hunter has diabetes.

Eleven-year-old Hunter was diagnosed with type 1 in 2004, just one month before his eighth birthday. This changed his family’s lives forever. In addition to balancing his schoolwork and a rigorous sports schedule, Hunter makes time to manage his diabetes, and to advocate on behalf of thousands of children with diabetes.

Not only did Hunter have to learn to manage his diabetes, Hunter faced another issue that most do not have to confront at such a tender age, let alone ever – he faced discrimination in his very own school.

Hunter"s elementary school in Madison, Indiana lacked a full-time school nurse. In a poor attempt to address the needs of Hunter and other children with diabetes in the area, the district suggested placing them all in the same school. Hunter and his parents Kathy and Bryon Sego quickly realized what was happening and they turned to the ADA for guidance. With direction from the ADA’s legal advocacy team, it was soon possible for Hunter to stay in his preferred school, carry his diabetes supplies with him and receive diabetes care.

Fast forward to October 2006. Hunter brought his compelling story before the Indiana General Assembly. At the tender age of ten, he testified in favor of House Bill 1116 – the Diabetes School Care Act, legislation that would allow children with diabetes to be Safe at School.  Hunter told the legislature, “With the passage of this bill, anyone who is trained can help me… I don’t want other kids to go through what I went through. We are just like everyone else.” Hunter was effective in his lobbying efforts and the Act was signed into Law on July 1, 2007.

Hunter and his family continued their advocacy on behalf of children with diabetes by coordinating fundraising events for diabetes research, attending trainings to learn more about being a diabetes advocates and being vocal in their community. The Sego family will be participating in the ADA’s bi-annual lobbying event Call to Congress 2008, an opportunity for volunteers to communicate their needs to Members of Congress.

To hear more of Hunter’s story, watch his video by clicking here.

Get involved with Call to Congress.  During the week of April 28th, call 877-ADA-2008 and urge Congress to do more to fight diabetes! Learn more…