Similarities, they have.

In fact there are several of them that would make you smile about Sarah Keer and Gwen Remaley, friends and teammates at Lehighton High School.They both have quite a list of academic and athletic accomplishments. Their grade point averages are so good that Keer will attend Temple next year on a field hockey scholarship and Remaley, a junior, is being recruited by the University of Pennsylvania and by Penn State. Both have been MVPs of their field hockey teams, Keer last year and Remaley this year. They also excel on their track team. Keer has qualified for this year's state tournament in the javelin and Remaley in the shot put. Off the field, when it's time to relax, they love to eat pizza.And then there is another commonality that they have acquired, but not by choice nor through effort.It's Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes and Keer and Remaley will carry it with them for the rest of their lives.Keer was diagnosed at age eight and Remaley at age four."My older sister has it, too," says Remaley. "And I really don't remember not having diabetes so I guess you could say it's normal for me."For Keer, her remembrance as to when she acquired the disease is vivid."I was in second grade and I was thirsty a lot and always going to the bathroom. My mom took me to the hospital. I was very dehydrated and of course, very scared."Keer takes a breath and then adds, "Then I got more scared and confused too when the doctor told us I was going to have to take something called insulin shots to control my blood sugar for the rest of my life."Each year, 13,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, the main type of sugar in the blood. For a diabetic, the pancreas loses the ability to make the hormone insulin. Since their bodies do not absorb glucose from their blood naturally, Keer and Remaley must utilize insulin pumps to regulate their carbohydrate intake and control their blood sugar levels."We both have all the classic symptoms of Type 1," said Remaley. "Besides thirst and frequent bathroom visits, we get headaches, sleeplessness, and we probably get cranky more often than most kids.""The good news," says Keer, "is that as long as we check our blood sugar levels, and refill our pumps every three days to inject the insulin, we are like everyone else and we also can eat most anything we want."Keer admits she felt different than "normal" kids until her parents sent her to Camp Red Jacket at Cedar Crest College when she was eight."I was thinking why me, and not that kid or that kid," she says. "But at Camp Red Jacket, all the kids were diabetics so I found out that we could live normal lives as long as we took responsibility for taking care of our bodies. Then I attended Donovan McNabb's Diabetes Camp for Kids (now called Camp Freedom) in Green Lane for eight years and I actually became a counselor there. This really helped me with my coping skills."Remaley, who also attended Camp Red Jacket, has learned to adjust her insulin injections according to the sport she is playing."For field hockey, I do lots of running so I adjust my insulin to a lower level than when I throw the shot and discus."It's a disease, however, that is not always under control in spite of careful managing. Keer recalls a time as a freshman when she had to sit out the start of a state playoff hockey game."My blood sugar dropped to 40." (normal range is 90-120) "My adrenaline was rushing and that lowered my number to a dangerous level. The trainer made me sit out and literally not get up until I drank 10 juice boxes and took glucose tablets. I got my number up to 100 and then I was able to play."Lehighton's track coach, Jake Marushak, carries crackers and juice in his back pack to their meets for precaution; however, he is impressed by how they have taken responsibility for taking care of themselves."Their diabetes has never caused them to miss a meet. In fact you would never know they have the disease. It does not distract them from their goals. They are very focused when they perform and obviously the results from their efforts prove that."Last summer Keer got a scare while sitting at home. Her blood sugar shot up to well over 200 and then her pump stopped displaying numbers which she says it does automatically if the number rises to 600."My mom was all set to rush me to the hospital, but then she discovered that the tube that injects my insulin was crimped and nothing was getting in. She fixed it, but it took me two hours until I was my normal self again."Diabetes has ironically driven both athletes to compete harder. Remaley became intensely competitive when she performed gymnastics at only six years old, and it was also where she started a friendship with Keer."That's when I realized that to compete as hard as I wanted to, I was going to have to be aware of what to do to take care of my body," she says. Then she adds with a smile, "I said to myself, I can do this!"Keer, a two time gold medal winner on national field hockey teams, has also been competitive her whole life."When I played soccer as a kid, my coaches thought I would tire easily and have to take breaks during the games. I was determined to show them that I could not only play the whole game, but that I could play at a high level as well."Kyle Spotts, Director of Student Services and Facilities Planning for the Lehighton School District, bestows his accolades upon Keer and Remaley."They are outstanding female athletes. They go about their activities without limitations and they both understand what they need to do to perform at a top level. Remaley holds the school record for throwing the shot and Keer was just selected as our Female Athlete of the Year." He adds, "They are role models for anyone who has to manage diabetes in order to excel academically and athletically."Abbie Guardiani, Lehighton's high school nurse for the past 29 years, has happily taken on the role of a second mother for both girls."They get caught up in their active lives like most teens do so I will remind them to test their blood sugar," she says. "And I will stop their bus if I have to and tell them they are not leaving the school until they test."Each year, on their birthdays, Guardiani bakes them their favorite desserts."Sarah chooses funfetti vanilla cupcakes and Gwen wants brownies with peanut butter chips.' She adds with a smile. "I have had several diabetics in this school through the years, but Sarah and Gwen are such great kids too and are inspirations to all of us." She then says with a burst of emotion, "These two girls just rock!"Gwen's mother, Christine Remaley began her experience with diabetes when her oldest daughter Catherine was diagnosed in 1997."I lost many a night's sleep with my daughters. I would wake them up at 2 a.m. to check their blood sugar. It was not until Gwen started high school that she took the responsibility upon herself. But as a mother, I never stop worrying and I never stop reminding them to check."At her daughter's athletic events, Christine is very adept at seeing a problem with Gwen.Call it a mother's intuition, but she, as well as Sarah's mother, also with the name Chris, both can sense when their daughters appear extra tired or off their game. Christine adds, "I am so proud of Gwen because she is not only athletically talented, she can perform at her best in spite of her diabetes."Chris Keer too has never stopped worrying about Sarah. Before each event she sends her a text that says. "Good luck. I love you. Test your blood sugar, and do your best."Keer passes along this advice to parents of diabetics. "A lot a kids with this disease will think they can't do what other kids do and their parents will often hold them back out of fear. Parents have to get educated. There are plenty of resources out there. You will find out that your kids can still do anything they want to do as long as they take care of themselves."Speaking of advice, both Sarah and Gwen were asked what they would say to kids who have the disease."You are never alone with diabetes," says Remaley. "Don't be afraid to tell people you have it. Talking to someone else is very helpful.""And you have to believe you are the same as everyone else," says Keer. "Most importantly, always remember that diabetes is an obstacle, it is not a handicap. As long as you control your sugar levels, you can accomplish whatever you want."