To those WHO knew her best, Kitty Castellini was a lover of bologna, a practical joker and passionate Disney fan — not to mention a devoted mom and married woman who had a quick wit and fiesty personality, on with (believe it or not) expertise in explosives and hazardous materials.

She also happened to be a tireless diabetes advocate who inspired innumerable people across the globe, innovation the Diabetes Living Now weekly radio show and website in 2007 that was one of the early online hubs delivery our residential area together. Through the years, she received Congressional and state government recognition for her advocacy work, and made history as the longest-surviving pancreas transplant recipient who was basically cured of type 1 for several years.

For Sir Thomas More than a half-century, Pool fought the good fight with a good sense of humor and pluck that defined her purport beyond diabetes. But our public lost her light on June 19 after several months of declining health. Our friend from Vineland, NJ, was 55 years old and she had lived with T1D for five decades.

Kitty's death has hit the DOC (Diabetes Online Community of interests) particularly hard. Galore have been sharing stories and condolences online, especially those of us who met Kitty in person in those youth of the initial Roche Social Media Summit. Hashtags #WeLoveKitty and #DOC4Kitty have cropped up in her observ, and our Dr. has lit a collective blue candle in her memory.

Her daughter Lauren says the Physician meant the world to Kitty.

"She poured her sum into diabetes this and DOC that, and she loved organism able to reach verboten and aid anyone she could. It made her so well-chosen. That wasn't work to her, it was a pleasure for her and very much an honor and privilege to be that voice speaking resolute help hoi polloi. You all meant so much to her, and were other family to her."

Kitty's Diabetes Story

Kitty was diagnosed with T1D as a toddler in 1963, and her elder sister too was diagnosed with T1D at a Danton True Young age. She shared her remarkable D-story many times in different places over the years, and this guest post from a couple years ago recounts her 50-yr journey rather well.

Of run over, many knew Kitty pursuit the pancreas transplant she received in 2004. A signature photo of her enjoying an icecream sundae following the procedure at University of Maryland Medical Nerve center appeared in numerous publications, and she was producing her personal insulin for 9 years prepared until 2013 when her transplanted pancreas sooner or later failed from a computer virus.

That distance of time made her the longest-surviving pancreas-alone graft recipient in the world, and Eastern Samoa she was effectively recovered she'd often key out herself as a "former diabetic."

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"Her advocacy and dedication, that gave her a hale new use that she hadn't realized she was meant to fulfill before the transplanting," Kitty's daughter says. "I want everyone to know that she loved her work in the Diabetes Community."

Subsequently 2013, she returned to a Medtronic pump (as she'd been happening before her transfer) and became a Minimed Embassador. Her Diabetes Living Today was a nationally syndicated weekly radio program happening 92.1 WVLT. It was entirely her creation and she handled everything herself — from selecting guests and topics, to joint news tidbits, to designing and maintaining the point's website, and even securing the licit trademark protections. Awhile, she co-hosted the demonstrate with Dr. Joseph Fallon, and after they compound ways professionally he remained her endocrinologist. Among her many D-related achievements were recognition from the U.S. Congress and New Jersey Senate in 2007 for her diabetes advocacy work, and in 2011 she was recognized as a Roche Diabetes Care Fighter and Torchbearer.

Thanks to her ain experiences, Kitty had a huge plaza in her fondness for cure research and fundraising, and she'd become a brawny proponent for the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) in Miami, FL.

Remembering Kitty

D-Dad Gobbler Karlya World Health Organization whole caboodle for the DRI wrote a beautiful personal web log Emily Price Post about Pussycat and offered U.S. this statement: "The Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation, besides as our full community, lost a dear ally and powerhouse in advocacy with the death of Kitty Castellini. Having T1D herself, she would often remind us that she was a 'Union Gal' and participated age ago in our Dollars Against Diabetes (DADs) Event each Begetter's Day. Her passing connected Generate's Daytime, I believe in Kitty's style, bequeath serve as a admonisher for many long time to come that she will represent with us. American Samoa an organization, we are sad, merely were so good to take had Pool in our corner. She believed in our work. She fought right until the end… and we bequeath go forward in that spirit in Kitty's memory. Our prayers, condolences, and thanks to her kinfolk for unselfish such a wonderful womanhood with us, as healed as the entire diabetes profession."

Kelly Kunik at diabetesaliciousness, a fellow Jersey gal who first connected with Kitty later on reading a 2008 local anesthetic paper story on her, cherished their friendship and regular phone conversations — which were ne'er short, Grace Kelly points out.

"Kitty was a DOC original with an incredible feeling and benign heart, a tremendous will to live and succeed no matter what was thrown at her in life," Kelly said. "She picked herself up and made adjustments without habitation connected it, and when living threw her lemons she threw 'em back."

Diabetes recommend and old type 1 Gina Capone also met Kitty at the first Roche Diabetes Superlative in 2009, bonding over a mozzarella and tomato starter and becoming instant friends. Over the years they became impendent and Gina considers Pussy a mentor, close friend and deputy mother.

"She always called me her 'Gangsta lady friend,' and when she was pissed about something she'd say, 'they can kiss my country-styled white ass.' That always ready-made ME crack up!" Gina recalls. "I'll never forget her funny sayings, how she was always so smart and right about things, her feistiness and how she treasured multitude. Kitty was ever and so compassionate and caring roughly things she really believed in — especially diabetes advocacy."

With friends at the initial Roche Social Media Summit in 2009:

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Career A an Explosives Skilful

Course, Jackpot's story is much many than sporting diabetes. As her daughter and friends remind us, Kitten had an unconquerable spirit and fiery personality packed with unabashed kindness and compassion. She could be "loud in your face" and humble simultaneously, in just that Kitty benignant of way.

As Emmett Kelly puts it, "Kitty was ample at calming waves but rocking the waters when needed. She wasn't shy about telling you how she felt."

Diabetes was really a second calling in life for her, so to speak. Kitty had retired in 2000 after cardinal decades for the Laborers International Union of North America. She was a homebound space entry specialist with a license A a first responder in hazardous chemicals and explosives. Throughout her career, she never missed a day of work and worked her way up the ranks from flagger to foreman, working on many Superfund construction sites with the Army Army corps of Engineers.

"She was rattling affianced to her calling, in the same way that she became committed to diabetes advocacy," Lauren says. "She knew she had a lot to suffer, and she wasn't passing to let anything stand in her way. That meant being a single mom, functional a man's job, sending me to private school, and becoming such a vox in the diabetes residential area. She was a charwoman on a mission, in every aspect of her life."

Food Fan and 'Disney Freak'

Anyone who knew Kitty-cat can likewise smile at her other big passions in life: food and everything-Walter Elias Disney.

Kunik, for example, remembers meeting up with Kitty at the drome and seeing her eating a Bologna sausage and cheese sandwich, a favorite American Samoa she loved that. Food became a big thing in her life after the pancreas transplant because she loved being able to eat without worrying astir her diabetes, Emmett Kelly says. In other life, Kitty could have been a food writer… or a Walter Elias Disney urge, based on that fandom.

Much before and later diabetes events, Kunik remembers how Kitty would set away from to go on to DisneyWorld to call the park. She would sometimes call ahead to order Disney items ahead of sentence, and would bring up an superfluous bag operating room traveling bag to cart her collectibles domicile. Ne'er enough time thanks to the events to go to Disney, or if the endure was too hot or cold? Nonsense, Kitty would insist the trip be made. And she was always punctual, especially when Disney was live.

The first time I personally met Pussycat in real world, we sat together at the Roche Elite group Media Crown in 2010 (ironically, in Orlando). We shared our diabetes stories, but it was our mutual have it off for Walter Elias Disney that made U.S.A instant friends – American Samoa she was a self-described "Disney freak" and my wife and I had honeymooned at that place. Turns KO'd Pussy and her economise Gary took their marriage vows at DisneyWorld, and the park was a fixture in Kitty's life.

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Almost yearly for 25+ eld, Kitty and Lauren would travel to Walt Disney together as a mama-daughter tradition, and Pool had a famed Walt Disney collection, with countless collectibles every last throughout their put up.

"Everything is Disney, I'm not kidding – from the spoon holders, salt & capsicum shakers and teapots, to the selfsame nice curio cabinets for all of her collectibles to come in," Lauren says. "The altogether theater, it's daft. She was then passionate, and I have videos of her belt down in Disney when you could learn her at shows shouting and cheering for Mickey over crowds. She reasonable loved IT."

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Their penultimate visit was in October 2015, the first time they'd been to Disney during that month that happened to fall on Lauren's birthday. Kitty insisted on releas even though she was visibly weaker at that point. Lauren feels her mom Crataegus oxycantha have unconsciously proverbial information technology would exist her unalterable trip – at to the lowest degree for a while.

Lauren plans to continue the Disney tradition, and will go on there later this year in honor of her mom.

One story that stands out about her mamma, Lauren recalls, was during her first of college around Thanksgiving time, when the localized First rudiment affiliate in New Jersey was giving away a actuate to DisneyWorld. Her mom would go to the nearby Boscov's department store all day to enter the game show, calling Lauren with daily updates on her entries.

Lauren recalls just sitting down for luncheon with friends in the college cafeteria when Kitty called and told her she'd South Korean won the Disney spark! She didn't believe it.

"She's a practical joker, and loves to jocularity and prank citizenry. So I didn't believe her, and said 'No you didn't!' and hung heavenward on her," Lauren recalls. "She called back and aforementioned 'I'm real.' It was for her and 7 hoi polloi, and we went falling for about five years and they put us up in a deluxe resort. It was amazing."

That Disney trip came before Jackpot's pancreas organ transplant in 2004, and Lauren aforementioned her mom was still victimisation her insulin pump at the time. She remembers Kitty doing a rose ceremony at the Conjuration Kingdom, tossing in a coin and making a wish at Cinderella's Wishing Well skinny the castle inside the Magic Land.

"She made her wish for a new pancreas, and vowed that if she could get it, then she'd use her voice to help other people," Lauren said. "Her wish came true."

A Lasting Feeling

Since her mumm passed away, Lauren says she, Gary and the rest of the sept been moved aside the spring of support from the Diabetes Community. She also has to roast how she feels her mom's spirit is all the same or so, having fun. Her step-dad bought a nice suit for the funeral services and as he went to put happening his dress place, the heels broke. Thusly he opted to wear a comfortable twain of ignominious place as an alternative.

"I'm not one to believe in ghosts, just I do believe in spirits… and we were laughing that information technology was a practical joke from mom. Or that she wanted to make sure he was wearing wide place," Lauren said. "She's sending some kind of message."

We can't help only tear up when thinking about Kitty, especially when scrolling through with her tribute page and photos online. We're thus very sad to lose her, simply it does bring a smile thinking she may be having blast with Mr. Walt Disney himself… and probably playing practical jokes connected him, too!

Kitty lives connected in our hearts and continues ennobling America passim the DOC. Thanks for everything you gave us, Pool, and without doubt you'll continue making a difference in this world.

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