By Michael Prochaska
Staff Writer
 
"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive!" Able to leap from hall to hall in the Morgan County Primary School.  It’s hundreds of spirited superheroes!
MCPS held an annual costume-themed fundraiser for juvenile diabetes awareness Friday. Parent Tammy Mitchell had the idea of dressing up the children as superheroes and princesses as a good way to introduce awareness of the disease to other students.
Mitchell participates in walks at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta and other diabetes causes with her daughter, Kaily, 6, who has Type 1 diabetes.
“A lot of the kids in the school don’t know about diabetes,” said Misty Rhoades, mother of Jordan Rhoades, 6, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. She said sometimes it’s challenging but also rewarding to see how her son has matured from living with the disease. Jordan turned down the opportunity to dress up as Batman so he could be a real hero for a day – a police officer. “He said, ‘Mama, a policeman helps people. Batman just pretends to help people,’” Rhoades said.
Jordan Rhoades and Kaily Mitchell share a classroom with teacher Teddi Sue Wilson, who said the children are very independent about telling when they need their blood sugar tested. Wilson said teaching children with diabetes has made her feel more like a mother to her students.
As many as three million Americans may have Type 1 diabetes, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The school raised more than $1,000, which will be allocated to JDRF.

Printed in the September 29 edition.