HELENA – Researchers came to Helena today to screen individuals for Type 1 Diabetes research. The public was encouraged to come and get tested.
The group from TrialNet took blood draws from candidates. They will screen for the antibodies that mistakenly tell your immune system to destroy your insulin.
1 in 300 are at risk, and the risk is 15 times higher for people with a family member who has type 1 diabetes.
It can take up to 6 weeks for results. Should you test positive, you will be contacted by a doctor.
People who meet the requirements will be monitored by Trialnet, and some participants under 18 may be eligible for prevention tests.
Participants had to be between the age of one and 45 with a parent, child, sibling with type 1 diabetes. If you are one to 20 years of age with grandparents, cousins, nephew, niece, or half sibling with type 1 diabetes, you are also eligible.
Nancy Wickstorm, the outreach supervisor, says it’s important to catch type 1 diabetes in kids before they get sick. Children can easily be misdiagnosed and can quickly become ill.
Trialnet comes to Helena annually in the summer. If you were not able to make it today, TrialNet can send you a kit to be tested.
Trialnet wants to screen 300,000 people throughout the United States in hope to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Reporting by Mercedies Pruneda for MTN News
