[IPp] Diabetic teen spreads message via comics
Kamaal is a teenager now? I remember when he was so little & wrote those
cute little comic books! ::(
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070430/ap_on_he_me/diabetes_comic_1
Diabetic teen spreads message via comics
By ANDALE GROSS, Associated Press Writer Mon Apr 30, 4:45 PM ET
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The evil Dr. Diabetes leaps from a hospital window,
crashing through the glass, determined to infect anyone in his path with the
chronic, debilitating disease from which he takes his name. The imposing,
green, wild-haired monster scowls, punches the air and taunts, "I will make
sure that everyone on the planet feels my pain. The whole world will have
diabetes."
In real life, 13-year-old Kamaal Washington one of the creators of the Dr.
Diabetes comic book character faces his own battle with diabetes. The
Kansas City, Kan., teen said the adventures he and his 11-year-old brother,
Malcolm, capture in their comic books are meant to spread awareness about
the disease and empower those who have it.
"You control the disease," says Kamaal, "don't let it control you."
The comic books which have gained national attention tell the stories of
children who learn they have diabetes and find themselves visited by Dr.
Diabetes. But his wicked intentions are foiled by the heroes of the comics,
Omega Boy and later, Mighty Boy. The books are sold online but will be
available soon at Walgreen and CVS shops in the Kansas City area and comic
book shops nationally.
Kamaal and Malcolm are working on their third diabetes-themed comic. Slated
for July, the comic tells the story of a politician who refuses to work to
increase funds to find a cure for diabetes and the heroes' quest to change
that.
Kamaal was 9 when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which is most
commonly found in younger children and teens and makes them dependent on
injected or pumped insulin for life.
With this form of diabetes, the body's immune system attacks and destroys
the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. As many as 3 million Americans
may have Type 1 diabetes, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation.
Kamaal checks his blood sugar seven to eight times a day and must watch how
much sugar and salt he eats. He wears an insulin pump so he can get a supply
of insulin whenever he needs it, without having to receive shots. The pump
includes a device about the size of a cell phone that contains insulin, with
a thin tube that allows the insulin to flow from the device to Kamaal's
stomach.
Diabetes was largely an unknown to the boy before a family trip to St. Louis
in 2003 when Kamaal was taken to the emergency room after complaining of
constant thirst and feeling ill. Kamaal's great-grandmother on his mother's
side had Type 2 diabetes. But no other family members had the disease.
"I got really scared," Kamaal said. "I was wondering what would happen to
me."
The diabetes books that doctors gave the boy, with their big words and
medical terminology, weren't much help.
So Kamaal and his brother, Malcolm, were drawing one day and came up with a
way to make it easier for kids to learn about diabetes and how to control
the disease.
"We decided to do a comic book," Kamaal said. "We wanted it to be fun and
educational."
Their dad, Alonzo, a Kansas City artist and civic activist, publishes the
comics and his own through his company, Omega 7 Comics. The boys' comics,
which sell for $5 each, can be bought on the Omega 7 Web site.
Kamaal and Malcolm have sold and donated to diabetes groups about 90,000
copies of the comics and have given about half of their $135,000 in profits
to diabetes causes, their parents said.
The young artists remain as committed to their creation as they were when
the idea came to them a few years ago.
"At that young of an age, to not only think of themselves but to want to
help others that are going through the same situation is very noble," said
their mother, Dana Washington, who manages the boys' comic career. "There
are many adults who are uncomfortable about speaking about their health
issues, and for Kamaal to be able to talk about something that is so
personal is just amazing to me."
Their comic books have brought awards and taken them around the country to
speak about diabetes. Kamaal has served as a Children's Congress delegate
for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, joining hundreds of other
young diabetics in testifying before the U.S. Senate about diabetes research
support.
Kamaal and Malcolm who count the Japanese anime series Naruto among their
biggest influences want to create their own animated series and perhaps
produce a movie.
"It will always have action and be fun to look at, but it will also be
educational," Kamaal said. "We always want to have a message."
____
On the Net:
Omega 7 Comics:
http://www.omega7.com<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_he_me/storyte
xt/diabetes_comic/22836806/SIG=10na7hqhv/*http://www.omega7.com>
--
Rachel - email @ redacted
"I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can
be sure of changing is oneself. - Aldous Leonard Huxley, 1894 - 1963"
http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelncole
www.picturetrail.com/jracheln
.
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