Since she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Cindy McLean含羞草研究社檚 body含羞草研究社檚 immune system has been attacking itself, destroying insulin-producing beta cells in her pancreas. Those cells are needed to convert blood sugar into energy.
含羞草研究社淭he kidney disease didn含羞草研究社檛 come until about 45 years (after the diagnosis),含羞草研究社� says McLean. 含羞草研究社淎s much as you try and control your blood sugars, you can含羞草研究社檛 do it all the time. It just doesn含羞草研究社檛 work that way.含羞草研究社�
Growing up with Type 1 diabetes, McLean says, was a challenge. Her classmates were always asking why she was allowed to get juice or candy when no one else could. Sometimes this would lead her to hide when her blood sugar was low, causing her to go into a seizure.
Another challenge was the lack of knowledge on diabetes. While medical professionals and scientists know a lot more about diabetes, there is still a lot to learn, like what causes Type 1 diabetes. Leading theories suggest genetic and environmental factors lead to the autoimmune disease.
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McLean, who was born and raised in Campbell River, started struggling with kidney disease 17 or so years ago and needed a transplant when she started going into renal failure 11 years ago. She didn含羞草研究社檛 find a donor until last year.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 not sure how long Heather [Thomas] has been in Campbell River, but we含羞草研究社檝e kind of always known each other like acquaintances,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淲e would run into each other. Of course, she含羞草研究社檚 a dance instructor, so she was teaching at my granddaughter含羞草研究社檚 school 含羞草研究社� who lives with me full time 含羞草研究社� so we would talk there.含羞草研究社�
When McLean started her business, Thomas would come to visit her. At one point, Thomas, whose son also lives with Type 1 diabetes, was adamant she was a match for McLean and continued looking into it. McLean wasn含羞草研究社檛 so confident Thomas would be match after searching for a kidney donor for ten years, including putting an ad out in the Campbell River Mirror.
含羞草研究社淪ure enough, probably six months later she comes into the shop and says 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 your match,含羞草研究社� McLean says.
The transplant was originally supposed to happen in June 2023, but it didn含羞草研究社檛 work out for either of the two. Thomas called McLean and said the only time they could do it was on July 19.
含羞草研究社淚 said, 含羞草研究社榊ou got to be kidding me, that含羞草研究社檚 my birthday.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 So she said, 含羞草研究社淥h my God, do you want to do it on your birthday?含羞草研究社� recalls McLean.
Her response? 含羞草研究社淗ell yeah, we含羞草研究社檙e going to do it on my birthday.含羞草研究社�
She couldn含羞草研究社檛 have received a better birthday present.
The transplant was a success. McLean still needs to go to Vancouver every three weeks.
含羞草研究社淲hat happened while I was there is the Kidney Research Institute approached me and they said I was the perfect candidate to start this new drug they are trying to get approved. After, listening to their story, I was like this is a no-brainer, so I decided I含羞草研究社檓 going to do this research, I含羞草研究社檓 actually on the research team.含羞草研究社�
The drug is AT-1501, also known as Tegoprubart. It was originally developed to treat ALS and Alzheimer含羞草研究社檚 disease. McLean is one of seven people worldwide trialling the drug for Type 1 Diabetes. The trial is only in phase one of three.
While she is in Vancouver, she has to take intravenous medication for the research.
含羞草研究社淲e still have phase two and phase three to get through, but as it goes now I含羞草研究社檓 feeling amazing, I含羞草研究社檓 doing amazing, everything is just going really good,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚 started at eight/nine pills a day. I含羞草研究社檓 now down to three.含羞草研究社�
Before the transplant, McLean had to adhere to a very strict diet, like fruit and vegetables or anything very high in potassium. Now, she can eat and drink almost anything, except grapefruit, green teas and Earl Grey because they interfere with her medication.
含羞草研究社淭he first thing I had after my transplant was French fries. I haven含羞草研究社檛 had French fries or potatoes in ten years含羞草研究社hey weren含羞草研究社檛 even the best French fries but they were good.含羞草研究社�
