Doer Profile

TRAISON FAMILY

City: West Bloomfield
Kudos: Walking for Juvenile Diabetes

A

t first glance, Randi Traison
looks like any other 7-year-
old girl. She enjoys playing
with her American Girl dolls and
watching Full House on television.
What makes her different is that she
has Type I (juvenile) insulin-dependent
diabetes, a lifelong and potentially serious
disease for which there is no known cure.
Insulin levels must be carefully monitored
and maintained to minimize the risk
of complications such as kidney fail-
ure, blindness, heart disease and stroke.
Since her diagnosis 2 1/2 years ago,
life has changed for her family, which
includes parents, Janice and Steve, and
sisters Rebecca, 9, and Elizabeth, 15.
In addition to helping Randi with
her day-to-day challenges, the Traisons
are committed to finding a cure so
that Randi and the many children like
her can live normal lives.
To help achieve this goal, "Team
Traison" will be participating in the

annual Walk to Cure Diabetes on
Sunday, Sept. 18, sponsored by the
Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan
Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation (JDRF).
Last year, the Traison team raised
$2,510, which they have already sur-
passed on their way to reaching this
year's goal of $4,000.
Online donations in Ranch's name
can be made at www.walk.jdrf. org/
walker.cfm?id=86111922, or by calling
(248) 355-1133. For more information,
visit www.jdrfdetroit.org

What is the most difficult part of liv-
ing with Randi's disease?
Janice: "Everything revolves around
Randi's schedule and her needs. She
has to have her blood sugar level
checked several times a day.
"No two days, no two hours, are ever
the same. There's no predictability, and
there is never a moment, even when
),
we're sleeping, that it ever goes away.

How has the insulin
pump improved Randi's
quality of life?
Janice: She used to
receive insulin through
injections; now she has a
pump that delivers small,
continuous doses of
insulin through a small
cannula in her
abdomen.
"The pump provides
Elizabeth, 15, Rebecca, 9, and Randi Traison, 7
more consistency. Randi
was able to go to her
Is there a bright side?
first sleepover recently; she couldn't
Randi's sister Elizabeth: "I didn't
have done that before. She still has to
really know what diabetes was at first,
watch what she eats, but now at least
but now that I do, I am grateful every
she can have sweets in moderation."
day that Randi has this and not some-
thing else."
What dream would you most like to
Janice: "It's life-affecting but, thank-
see come true?
fully, not the end of life. Our extended
Janice: "Besides a cure for diabetes,
family has been very supportive."
I'd love to see Randi have a Jewish
— Ronelle Grier,
camping experience."
special writer

REPORT A DOER...: Know a Doer — someone of any age doing interesting, meaningful things in their life outside of their job? Share suggestions with Ken Guten Cohen, story devel-
opment editor, at (248) 351-5144 or e-mail: kcohenakthejewishnews.com .

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