Northern Illinois Diabetes Coalition

NIDC Logo NIDC is a priority initiative of a community outreach organization of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford.

NIDC is a collaborative effort among physicians, nurses, diabetes educators, health care providers, people with diabetes, their families, friends, neighbours and the regional hospitals and clinics.

Our Mission is to improve the quality of care provided to the persons with diabetes and to ensure that all diabetic patients, regardless of income, color, gender, creed, language or disability have access to continuing care.

NIDC Brochure

BASKETBALL CAMP FOR DIABETES - June 18-20, 2018

Camp Location:
Machesney Park Elementary School
8615 N. Second Street
Machesney Park, IL 61115

Moses E. Cheeks Slam Dunk for Diabetes Basketball Camp is a place where children and teens gain confidence in managing their diabetes. Campers learn to test themselves and give injections. They learn how food and exercise are linked with insulin, and how sports illness, and stress interact with diabetes. Participants learn that diabetes doesn’t have to prevent them from living active, satisfying lives. Click the link below to read more about the camp.

Application Packet

NIDC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING

Executive Committee Meeting is on a first Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 AM, College of Medicine Rockford. There is no meeting in June and July.

PEPPY UP

Peppy Up is a program and book that focuses on ways to educate and motivate children to take care of their health. In an easy to follow curriculum, children are taught to make healthy choices that impact their health and future. Peppy Up follows characters in the book to show how healthy choices can make children be faster, stronger, and smarter.

SUPPORT NIDC

Be an advocate and support NIDC.

Contact Nancy Todora via email nancy.todora@northernidc.org

Beating Diabetes on the Basketball Court

By Dan Cohen, Posted: Feb 01, 2017 12:39 PM CST

BELVIDERE (WREX) - When you watch Belvidere's MacKenzie Beattie or Byron's Abby Richardson play basketball, you don't see the same silent fight for optimum health. 13 News, Weather, and Sports' Day of Positivity with a story of two athletes winning on and off the court.
It's a day stamped into memory.
"I was nine, it was September of 2009."
"It was November 18, 2010."
Those are the dates Mackenzie Beattie and Abby Richardson learned they were diabetics. It's a rigrous regimen of regulating their blood sugar. "Even though it's kind of an invisible disease, no one ever sees the extra work that goes on behind the scenes," Richardson says. "You have to take into account everything you do. Every meal you eat, you have to figure out the carbs and how much insulin to take for it." Abby's friend MacKenzie is singular at her school.
"I'm the only diabetic athlete at Belvidere High School."
Beattie's love of basketball comes at a price. Constantly monitoring, constantly making sure she can play at a high level. "I test before the games and during halftime. If my blood sugar is high, I take an insulin shot. If it's low, I eat," Beattie says. "When I'm low, I can definitely tell because I can't concentrate on the game. I get really shaky. When I'm high, I don't really notice as much." Diabetes hasn't deterred Beattie and Richardson from suiting up. Taking the extra step to manage their health puts their participation in perspective.
"When I was younger, I was playing basketball and soccer. I would just go out there and play," Richardson says. "I would take for granted the opportunity to play. As soon as I was diagnosed, everything changed and I started appreciating the sport a lot more."

The two Stateline athletes are members of Slam Dunk for Diabetes, bringing basketball players together to share their experiences. "Basically it's a camp where a bunch of diabetics come together to play basketball," said Beattie. "I met two of my best friends there." "You don't even feel like you have diabetes," says Richardson. "They make it easy for you to go and play and have fun with other people similar to you."

Whether their teams win or lose pales in comparison to the victories achieved by MacKenzie Beattie and Abby Richardson - beating diabetes one basket at a time.