Every morning, Kate Johnston wakes up, goes to practice, attends class, grabs some lunch and then goes right back to her afternoon practice. Watching Johnston go about her normal schedule, one would assume that she is a normal student athlete. That doesn't quite capture the truth.
Johnston, the Penn State throws captain, has been a Type-I diabetic since the age of 4.
Every day is a 24-hour job to maintain a stable blood sugar level. As a diabetic, she must take at least four insulin shots a day, as well as check her blood sugar level at least five times.
"I've gotten really frustrated at times because there's been certain periods where I can feel like I'm dropping," Johnston said. "And I can feel weak."
This is a result of hypoglycemia, a condition related to diabetes in which the person's blood sugar level drops too low. This could cause weakness in the muscles and even a loss of consciousness. It's a condition belied by her athletic prowess.
Johnston excels in both the track and the classroom. During the 2005 indoor season she was second in the Big Ten Conference in the 20-pound weight throw and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
She also currently holds the Penn State record in the hammer throw and qualified for the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She's a double major in crime, law and justice; and sociology.
But no level of athletic or academic success can make Johnston feel completely like everyone else.
"I can try and be a normal person, a normal student, a normal athlete," Johnston said. "But, I mean, even if I have to take food before I have major exams, that's something that a normal student wouldn't have to worry about."
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