Walk 4 Kiele keeps a promise

WILKES-BARRE – Jamie Gwynn is big on keeping promises.

After his 4-year-old niece Kiele Sofa died on April 2 from complications of type 1 diabetes (also known as juvenile diabetes), the 21-year-old Edwardsville man vowed he would use her death as motivation to do something good.

Gwynn’s efforts came together as about 120 people participated in the “Walk 4 Kiele” on Sunday at Kirby Park. The event, which also included gift-basket raffles, raised more than $6,600 for the Juvenile Diabetes Organization of NEPA.

“When I saw Kiele lying there that morning in the hospital, the feeling I felt in my heart was indescribable,” Gwynn told participants. “Before I left the hospital that morning, I made a promise to Kiele that I wouldn’t let her go without helping someone else in my life.”

Kiele had been sick with what was believed to be the flu for several days, Gwynn said. She had been prescribed amoxicillin, but her condition didn’t improve.

She went into what Gwynn called a “sugar coma,” and eventually died. The family did not know until a month after her death that Kiele was a diabetic.

According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, each year approximately 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes; more than 15,000 are children.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cells normally produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body move the glucose contained in foods into cells throughout the body.

When beta cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced and the glucose stays in the blood, where it can damage organs in the body.

Gwynn said that he had two goals in mind while he planned the event: increasing awareness of the disease and raising funds in his niece’s honor.

“I wanted to use what I learned in helping another child. I don’t want anyone else to feel what I felt in the hospital that day,” said Gwynn, a senior majoring in public relations at Wilkes University. “This is my grieving process and helps keep her memory alive.”

Kiele’s parents, Tracy Blakeslee and Joey Sofa, hope the Walk 4 Kiele will help others to be more aware of juvenile diabetes and recognize the signs.

“It’s reality that her life has ended,” Blakeslee said. “The walk will help other people understand. Nobody wants to watch their child who they think is normally sick die. Nobody recognized the signs.”

Joy Suda of Wilkes-Barre can relate to those who may not recognize symptoms of juvenile diabetes.

Suda said when her 6-year-old daughter Brynn was 14 months old, she became very sick and was breathing abnormally. When Brynn’s lips turned blue, she was taken to the emergency room and then rushed to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

“I’m here because I don’t think there’s enough education. Even doctors don’t have enough education,” Suda said. “How could this doctor miss this?”

Suda said her daughter, who will be a first-grader at Bear Creek Charter School in the fall, is aware of her disease and even checks her own blood sugar.

As participants were nearing the end of the walk, which was led by Kiele’s 6-year-old brother Kobe, Gwynn sat at the face-painting booth and kept another of his promises.

He said he’d have his face painted in “princess colors” if the event surpassed his $2,000 goal. He smiled and said this would please his niece.

“This is me being a good sport,” Gwynn laughed as tiny flowers were painted on his face. “I live up to my promise.”

Signs of type 1 diabetes

How to help

Checks payable to the Juvenile Diabetes Organization of NEPA may be sent in care of: Patty McDade, 86 Conwell St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18702. To volunteer, call McDade at 793-6994, or go to www.jdonepa.freeservers.com

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Girl’s death raises awareness

Signs of type 1 diabetes

How to help

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