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Local teen uses her experience with diabetes to help other kids They say a student’s senior year in high school is very busy but 17-year old Bailey McCombs isn’t waiting until September to get involved. She’s spending three weeks this summer learning about civic leadership and helping kids with diabetes enjoy a positive camp experience. McCombs was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at 12 years old. Her classic symptoms of being tired, constant hunger and thirst and weight loss sent her to the doctor who confirmed that she had juvenile diabetes and would be insulin dependent for the rest of her life. "At first it didn’t sink in, but then I said, ‘Okay, I’ll have to do this,’" McCombs recalled. The disease requires McCombs to give herself insulin injections four times a day. She monitors her blood sugar by taking a small sample of blood from her finger. Depending on the test readings, McCombs has to be sure to eat at specific intervals throughout the day. She admits all of the routine does cause some interruption in her life but says she is so accustomed to it she doesn’t know any different. She certainly hasn’t allowed juvenile diabetes to slow her down any. In fact, she’s spent the first three weeks of summer vacation away at the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Girls State program and volunteering as a counselor at the Rotary Sunshine Camp for diabetic children. From June 29 to July 5, McCombs, who is interested in politics, joined hundreds of girls from across New York state on the SUNY Brockport campus for the week-long Girls State citizenship program where the girls established a mock government, held elections and passed important legislation on the local, county and state level. The Girls State workers understood about her need to monitor her condition and take her insulin throughout the day. From July 6 to 19, she worked at the Rotary Sunshine Camp for kids with diabetes where the focus is on fun, not limited by their disease. She helped children enjoy the zip line, climb the rock wall and many other outdoors activities for the week. As a counselor in training, she also helped out with the cooking and other chores. "I like the people there and I looked forward to it," she said. While many teens look forward to summer vacation to take a break from their busy schedules, stay up late at night and sleep later in the morning, McCombs will not have much opportunity for that. When she returned from Sunshine camp, she began a summer babysitting job and then it will be time to return to high school to begin her senior year where she participates in volleyball, ski club, tennis, women’s ensemble, chorus and the musical. She is also a member of Mumford First United Presbyterian Church. She resides in Mumford with her parents John and Marion McCombs and brother Justin. Of her busy summer she chuckled, "I’d love to sleep but there’s no time!"
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