TRAVELING TEDDY BEAR TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO DEAL WITH DIABETES RUFUS IS OFTEN FIRST LINK TO OTHERS WITH DISEASE.(LOCAL)

Byline: PHYLLIS SPEIDELL THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

COURTLAND -- A few weeks before Christmas, Zeke Zimmer asked for a present Santa Claus could not bring - a cure for juvenile diabetes.

With no help likely from Santa, the lively 5-year-old turned to a teddy bear named Rufus for comfort in dealing with his daily regimen of three insulin shots and eight or nine ``pricks'' for blood tests.

Rufus is one of several bears that travel the country - via a first-class packing carton - helping diabetic children learn about their condition and how to cope with it.

ChildrenwithDiabetes.com sent Rufus. He arrived, wearing corduroy lederhosen, at the Zimmers' house in mid-December. The brown bear had already journeyed around the country making previous stops in Kentucky, Utah and Arizona.

Rufus brought with him a journal filled with notes and photos from the other 20 children he had visited in 2001, a children's storybook about a young bear with diabetes and a miniature bear-sized replica of an insulin pump.

Zeke, full of energy and kindergarten-vintage jokes, would hug the bear close, then practice his best sticking-and-pricking techniques, demonstrating on Rufus how he is tested and injected every day.

``I don't want to have diabetes,'' Zeke said. ``The worst thing about it is the shots.''

Last week, Rufus left his Courtland family and headed for another child, in Red Bank, N.J.

Many diabetic children, especially those in rural areas, feel isolated because they know no other children with the same disease. The Children with Diabetes Web site was developed to help the families of those children network with each other to gain support and knowledge.

Jeff Hitchcock, an Ohio resident, founded the Web site in 1995, a few years after his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. By 2001, the site had delivered more than 13 million pages of information to families all over the world, including the Zimmers.

``Diabetes is a disease with constant worries, and I like being able to go onsite for advice,'' said Terri Zimmer, Zeke's mother.

Since Zeke was diagnosed a year ago, she and her husband, Ed, have learned more than they ever thought possible about the disease and how it affects their young son.

They have learned that a Pop Tart can be disastrous, but so can the breading on an innocent-looking piece of fried chicken. They learned that when Zeke's blood-sugar level rises, his attention level drops. And they have learned to expect a burst of extra activity from Zeke after every meal.

``Finally, when a crisis hit and we did not panic, we knew we had adjusted,'' Terri Zimmer said.

Some 600 to 700 families share their experiences online, said Laura Billetdeaux, event coordinator for Children with Diabetes. com.

``There is a huge learning curve and the families are always looking for advice and support,'' she said. ``The Web site draws us together.''

Type I - or insulin-dependent - diabetes, Billetdeaux explained, most often develops during childhood or adolescence and affects more than 2 million people in the United States. Treatment requires a strict regimen of controlled diet, planned physical activity, home blood-sugar testing several times a day and multiple daily insulin injections.

Real-life stories, e-mails, chat rooms and detailed diabetes care information, as well as photos and information on Rufus' travels, can be found at ChildrenwithDiabetes.com

Reach Phyllis Speidell at 483-9161 or pspeidel@pilotonline.com

CAPTION(S):

Photo

JOHN H. SHEALLY II/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Zeke Zimmer, 5, of Courtland plays with his dog, Pogo, and Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear. Before arriving at the Zimmer home in mid-December, Rufus had visited 20 other diabetic children in 2001.

Photos

Terri Zimmer, left, and her husband, Ed, right, say they have learned more than they ever thought possible about diabetes since their son, Zeke, was diagnosed with it a year ago.

Graphic

ONLINE

For more information on juvenile diabetes or the travels of Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear, visit ChildrenwithDiabetes.com

TRAVELING TEDDY BEAR TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO DEAL WITH DIABETES RUFUS IS OFTEN FIRST LINK TO OTHERS WITH DISEASE.(LOCAL)

Byline: PHYLLIS SPEIDELL THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

COURTLAND -- A few weeks before Christmas, Zeke Zimmer asked for a present Santa Claus could not bring - a cure for juvenile diabetes.

With no help likely from Santa, the lively 5-year-old turned to a teddy bear named Rufus for comfort in dealing with his daily regimen of three insulin shots and eight or nine ``pricks'' for blood tests.

Rufus is one of several bears that travel the country - via a first-class packing carton - helping diabetic children learn about their condition and how to cope with it.

ChildrenwithDiabetes.com sent Rufus. He arrived, wearing corduroy lederhosen, at the Zimmers' house in mid-December. The brown bear had already journeyed around the country making previous stops in Kentucky, Utah and Arizona.

Rufus brought with him a journal filled with notes and photos from the other 20 children he had visited in 2001, a children's storybook about a young bear with diabetes and a miniature bear-sized replica of an insulin pump.

Zeke, full of energy and kindergarten-vintage jokes, would hug the bear close, then practice his best sticking-and-pricking techniques, demonstrating on Rufus how he is tested and injected every day.

``I don't want to have diabetes,'' Zeke said. ``The worst thing about it is the shots.''

Last week, Rufus left his Courtland family and headed for another child, in Red Bank, N.J.

Many diabetic children, especially those in rural areas, feel isolated because they know no other children with the same disease. The Children with Diabetes Web site was developed to help the families of those children network with each other to gain support and knowledge.

Jeff Hitchcock, an Ohio resident, founded the Web site in 1995, a few years after his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. By 2001, the site had delivered more than 13 million pages of information to families all over the world, including the Zimmers.

``Diabetes is a disease with constant worries, and I like being able to go onsite for advice,'' said Terri Zimmer, Zeke's mother.

Since Zeke was diagnosed a year ago, she and her husband, Ed, have learned more than they ever thought possible about the disease and how it affects their young son.

They have learned that a Pop Tart can be disastrous, but so can the breading on an innocent-looking piece of fried chicken. They learned that when Zeke's blood-sugar level rises, his attention level drops. And they have learned to expect a burst of extra activity from Zeke after every meal.

``Finally, when a crisis hit and we did not panic, we knew we had adjusted,'' Terri Zimmer said.

Some 600 to 700 families share their experiences online, said Laura Billetdeaux, event coordinator for Children with Diabetes. com.

``There is a huge learning curve and the families are always looking for advice and support,'' she said. ``The Web site draws us together.''

Type I - or insulin-dependent - diabetes, Billetdeaux explained, most often develops during childhood or adolescence and affects more than 2 million people in the United States. Treatment requires a strict regimen of controlled diet, planned physical activity, home blood-sugar testing several times a day and multiple daily insulin injections.

Real-life stories, e-mails, chat rooms and detailed diabetes care information, as well as photos and information on Rufus' travels, can be found at ChildrenwithDiabetes.com

Reach Phyllis Speidell at 483-9161 or pspeidel@pilotonline.com

CAPTION(S):

Photo

JOHN H. SHEALLY II/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Zeke Zimmer, 5, of Courtland plays with his dog, Pogo, and Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear. Before arriving at the Zimmer home in mid-December, Rufus had visited 20 other diabetic children in 2001.

Photos

Terri Zimmer, left, and her husband, Ed, right, say they have learned more than they ever thought possible about diabetes since their son, Zeke, was diagnosed with it a year ago.

Graphic

ONLINE

For more information on juvenile diabetes or the travels of Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear, visit ChildrenwithDiabetes.com

TRAVELING TEDDY BEAR TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO DEAL WITH DIABETES RUFUS IS OFTEN FIRST LINK TO OTHERS WITH DISEASE.(LOCAL)

Byline: PHYLLIS SPEIDELL THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

COURTLAND -- A few weeks before Christmas, Zeke Zimmer asked for a present Santa Claus could not bring - a cure for juvenile diabetes.

With no help likely from Santa, the lively 5-year-old turned to a teddy bear named Rufus for comfort in dealing with his daily regimen of three insulin shots and eight or nine ``pricks'' for blood tests.

Rufus is one of several bears that travel the country - via a first-class packing carton - helping diabetic children learn about their condition and how to cope with it.

ChildrenwithDiabetes.com sent Rufus. He arrived, wearing corduroy lederhosen, at the Zimmers' house in mid-December. The brown bear had already journeyed around the country making previous stops in Kentucky, Utah and Arizona.

Rufus brought with him a journal filled with notes and photos from the other 20 children he had visited in 2001, a children's storybook about a young bear with diabetes and a miniature bear-sized replica of an insulin pump.

Zeke, full of energy and kindergarten-vintage jokes, would hug the bear close, then practice his best sticking-and-pricking techniques, demonstrating on Rufus how he is tested and injected every day.

``I don't want to have diabetes,'' Zeke said. ``The worst thing about it is the shots.''

Last week, Rufus left his Courtland family and headed for another child, in Red Bank, N.J.

Many diabetic children, especially those in rural areas, feel isolated because they know no other children with the same disease. The Children with Diabetes Web site was developed to help the families of those children network with each other to gain support and knowledge.

Jeff Hitchcock, an Ohio resident, founded the Web site in 1995, a few years after his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. By 2001, the site had delivered more than 13 million pages of information to families all over the world, including the Zimmers.

``Diabetes is a disease with constant worries, and I like being able to go onsite for advice,'' said Terri Zimmer, Zeke's mother.

Since Zeke was diagnosed a year ago, she and her husband, Ed, have learned more than they ever thought possible about the disease and how it affects their young son.

They have learned that a Pop Tart can be disastrous, but so can the breading on an innocent-looking piece of fried chicken. They learned that when Zeke's blood-sugar level rises, his attention level drops. And they have learned to expect a burst of extra activity from Zeke after every meal.

``Finally, when a crisis hit and we did not panic, we knew we had adjusted,'' Terri Zimmer said.

Some 600 to 700 families share their experiences online, said Laura Billetdeaux, event coordinator for Children with Diabetes. com.

``There is a huge learning curve and the families are always looking for advice and support,'' she said. ``The Web site draws us together.''

Type I - or insulin-dependent - diabetes, Billetdeaux explained, most often develops during childhood or adolescence and affects more than 2 million people in the United States. Treatment requires a strict regimen of controlled diet, planned physical activity, home blood-sugar testing several times a day and multiple daily insulin injections.

Real-life stories, e-mails, chat rooms and detailed diabetes care information, as well as photos and information on Rufus' travels, can be found at ChildrenwithDiabetes.com

Reach Phyllis Speidell at 483-9161 or pspeidel@pilotonline.com

CAPTION(S):

Photo

JOHN H. SHEALLY II/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Zeke Zimmer, 5, of Courtland plays with his dog, Pogo, and Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear. Before arriving at the Zimmer home in mid-December, Rufus had visited 20 other diabetic children in 2001.

Photos

Terri Zimmer, left, and her husband, Ed, right, say they have learned more than they ever thought possible about diabetes since their son, Zeke, was diagnosed with it a year ago.

Graphic

ONLINE

For more information on juvenile diabetes or the travels of Rufus, the diabetic teddy bear, visit ChildrenwithDiabetes.com