The Charlotte Observer has an inspiring story this week about life beyond juvenile diabetes. North Carolina freelance writer Bea Quirk was 3 years old when she was diagnosed with diabetes. By then, however, the disease had progressed so far that she had lapsed into a brief coma.

That was a long time ago. The 56-year-old woman was honored recently by Boston’s Joslin Diabetes Center for her more than 50 years living with diabetes. “Sometimes you do get a medal just for showing up,” Quirk joked.

A few years ago, Quirk began wearing a wireless, waterproof insulin pump. After decades of insulin injections, she says the device has given her a newfound sense of freedom. "You can wear it underwater. I've gone whitewater rafting,” she told the newspaper. “I can wear it in the shower. It's really made a big difference.

"Even though there's still not a cure for diabetes … All my life, there's just has always seemed to be something new that has helped me along."

Quirk’s story is more evidence of the importance of every single advance in diabetes research. Working together, we can make a difference in the lives of children with diabetes.