Katy family steps out in hopes of finding daughter's diabetes cure

KATY, Texas (KTRK) -- Insulin injections, pumps, monitors and carb counting. This is a life 9-year-old Sophie Schilleci had no clue about until she was rushed to the emergency room last year.

"It was (the doctor) telling us to load up and go straight to the emergency room at Texas Children's, and that they were already waiting for us," her mother, Susan Temple, recalls of that fateful day.

Doctors confirmed Sophie had type one diabetes, the diagnosis Temple feared.

RELATED: Boy with diabetes gains new alert dog and companion

"The fear in her eyes," Temple said. "It was the worst day of my life, um, watching her go through that."

Temple first noticed Sophie's symptoms during a trip with her brother to one of her favorite spots to eat, Chick-fil-A.

Since the diagnosis, it has shifted the way her family lives.

"This kid that you have all these hopes and dreams for, um, when you still have those hopes and dreams, but, but they're going to change drastically," Temple said.

Sophie is now a fourth grader at Odessa Kilpatrick Elementary, and has been able to adapt to these life changes.

"Making eggs," Temple said. "Her blood sugar is pretty good when she's waking up, and eggs will help just maintain that."

Then there is making lunch and counting carbs.

"You just kind of learn how her body works. Um, but I mean, anywhere from, I would say 90 carbs in a day."

Sophie is also adjusting to changing out her pods.

"Every three days, we have to change out her, uh, Omnipod site," Temple said. "Every 10 days, we have to change out her Dexcom site."

"There's not even a needle in here," Sophie adds. "It's like when you put it on, it goes, so the needle goes in, then it puts in like a straw-like thing."

Despite the challenges that come with type one diabetes, Sophie and her family know their goal is to find a cure.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. One of the main fundraisers is the JDRF One Walk, attended annually by thousands. This year, due to COVID-19, the walk will be a virtual experience on Nov. 1.

The money raised supports research and life-changing breakthroughs that give hope to everyone impacted by this disease.

"I certainly got hope that one day in her lifetime, she will be able to say, 'I had diabetes,'" Temple said. "That's obviously the thing that we are constantly, uh, praying (for)."

With your help, she will. To make a donation or to participate in this year's JDRF One Walk, visit the JDRF website.