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Mom's business fulfills Whitnee's wishBy James Edward Mills
Whitnee also has type-1 diabetes, something she'd just as soon forget about. But the deadly disease requires Whitnee, 13, to wear a medical alert bracelet, a constant reminder. "I was diagnosed when I was seven," Whitnee said. "When I was younger I really didn't like wearing it." Now thanks to a new business started by her mom, Kim Herrling, Whitnee happily wears her alert bracelet while helping raise awareness for the disease and research money needed to find a cure. Whitnee's Wish is a small company that embellishes medical alert bracelets with decorative beads and metal charms. Made in sterling silver or 14-karat gold, the stylized bracelets are much more appealing than the clunky stainless variety that often brings unwanted attention from peers and classmates. "A lot of my friends wear jewelry from different stores. So it's just like any piece of jewelry," Whitnee said. "I get a lot of questions about it, but it doesn't look like a medical ID." Herrling said she had a hard time getting her daughter to wear a traditional alert bracelet. "She's kind of embarrassed by it. And I keep saying, 'Whit, the more people that know about this condition the more they'll be there to help you,' " Herrling said. "I told her, 'If you're not going to wear something, you're going to get tattooed.' " The pretty bracelets are a much easier alternative. Strung together with shiny glass and ceramic beads that Herrling gets from Florida and California, the silver and gold alert tags can be arrayed in a wide variety of colors and textures. Now, Whitnee can be a lot less self-conscious about the tag that could save her life. "When I go to diabetes functions, I wear the blue," she said. "But most of the time it has to do with my outfit, what I'm wearing that day." A vital fashion statement Even though her bracelet is now a fashion statement, it still serves a vital purpose. The metal tag will let emergency service providers know how best to treat Whitnee should her disease render her unconscious or unable to speak. Because her body has difficulty regulating blood sugar, Whitnee could suddenly pass out or have a seizure. She requires regular doses of insulin, which is delivered via an automated pump. Tracy Bekx, a pediatric endocrinologist at UW Madison Child-ren's Hospital, said kids, especially teenagers, often neglect to put the bracelets on. "Adolescents like to be like their peers. They want to avoid anything that makes them different or stand out," Bekx said. "I had one little girl who wore an insulin pump who took it off because she got teased." Michelle Alswager, executive director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Western Wisconsin chapter, said a lot of young people would rather tempt fate than be un-cool or labeled by a disease. Kids want style "Kids want to be stylish too," Alswager said. "As much as you want the medical technician to know that you have the condition, you don't want diabetes to define who you are." Alswager has a five-year-old son struggling with diabetes. And she struggles with him to wear his bracelet. "Even when he was three he was self-conscience about wearing it," Alswager said. "If you can make it look cool you can get them to wear it." Alswager thinks Whitnee's Wish is a great idea. "To me it does two things," she said. "It takes a family and lets them get directly involved. Whitnee can be proactive. They're not just raising money, they're also raising awareness. She's working toward her own cure." Herrling said she plans to soon offer more varieties for boys. "I'll make anything kids want, different metals and leathers," she said. "I'm really not limited. We might even do (military-style) dog tags." Sisters help create styles Whitnee's sisters, Jordann, 11, and Sydnee, 9, are helping out with the production by stringing beads and creating different combinations and styles. "It's for a good cause and it's kind of fun. You get to mix different beads and it's like a hobby," Jordann said. "I feel like every bead is getting closer to a cure." The bracelets range in price from $35 to $140 dollars. A portion of each sale goes to the JDRF. But Herrling, who suffers herself from a severe latex allergy and wears a bracelet, said it's not just about diabetes. "Something like one in five people need some kind of medical alert," she said. "If you run into problems with your health, somebody needs to be able to help you." For a minimum engraving fee of $10, a Whitnee's Wish bracelet can be customized with information on any medical condition. Herrling said she also makes varieties for the elderly who might have difficulty managing clasps and latches. "We make a kind with elastic that's goes easy on and off," she said. Herrling wants to make sure that anyone who needs a medical alert bracelet can have one that is both comfortable and attractive. As for Whitnee, she's grown to live comfortably with her disease and she's a role model to her friends in how best to manage it. She attends a summer camp for diabetics, helps out with other fund-raisers and shares advice with kids who are newly diagnosed. "I'm very open with diabetes," Whitnee said. "It's not something that you should have to hide from anybody. It really shouldn't affect what they think about you." James Edward Mills is a Madison freelance reporter. james@theoutdoorprofessional.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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