‘The Glucose Guardian’ — fearful of injections to fully embracing superpowers

At age 3, June dreaded his daily insulin injections for Type 1 diabetes. That is until his dad, Antoine, reframed them as Super Soldier Serum.

Fresh off watching “Captain America,” he told June the insulin would make him stronger, just like the serum had powered up the comic book character. The young boy wasn’t so sure, but when Antoine asked if he felt faster post-poke, he took off, zipping up and down the hallway.

June had found his superpower.

A hero’s backstory

June’s daycare teacher was the first to notice excessive urination during the day. His mom, Brittany, a certified nursing assistant, trusted her instincts and immediately scheduled a doctor’s appointment to investigate further.

Initial testing at June’s primary care provider’s office showed high ketones and sugar, which occur when insulin levels in the body are too low. The family was sent to donor‑supported MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital for additional tests.

“When we took him to Mary Bridge, they told us that he has diabetes — the blow hit us kind of hard,” Antoine remembers. “But the way that Mary Bridge (providers) kind of explained it and the knowledge they gave us and everything else, it really softened what we had to go through.”

Over the next week and a half, Antoine and Brittany received a crash course in how to manage Type 1 diabetes. Even after June was discharged, their Mary Bridge Children’s team was available 24 hours a day via phone to help troubleshoot issues until the new routine became second nature.

“The whole experience was crazy, but Mary Bridge was really helpful,” Antoine says. “I appreciate it a lot. We wouldn’t trade it for nothing.”

Debuting Glucose Guardian and his sidekicks

June was gifted two books from Mary Bridge Children’s to help him understand his new normal. The first featured a lion, but it didn’t quite connect. The second included a Black girl, and June’s interest was piqued. Seeing a character who looked like him helped the material begin to resonate.

Witnessing that spark and knowing how much his son loved a good story, the wheels began to turn for Antoine. As the owner of a graphics company, he realized he could help his son, and kids like him, by designing and self-publishing a comic series starring none other than June.

In the first issue of “The Glucose Guardian,” June pushes his insulin pump to unlock his hidden potential and thwart Dr. Hypo’s evil plans to drain energy from his classmates.

His “Supermom” Brittany’s intuition and passion for caring for others also thread through the narrative, joined by his Mary Bridge Children’s doctor, Timothy Livett, MD.

“June’s outgoing, but at first he’s very shy,” Antoine explains. “He’s very reserved, hiding behind me or his mom. But Dr. Livett, he loved him, and he started running around in the office.

“Dr. Livett let June be free,” Antoine continues. “That’s why we put him in the book, because June was just comfortable with him.”

Dr. Livett takes pride in assisting June with navigating his personalized treatment plan, something every diabetes patient needs, as no two experiences are the same.

“June is a good-natured kid who has an awesome attitude when we see him in clinic,” Dr. Livett shares. “Managing diabetes takes a tremendous amount of effort from the families every single day. His parents are great at keeping him involved in his care at an age-appropriate level, and I always see really good teamwork from the three of them.”

Powered up by generosity

Today, June is 5, and dreams of honing his basketball, track and soccer skills to compete in American Ninja Warrior Junior. He knows he can do anything, even with Type 1 diabetes.

Looking back on their family’s journey, Antoine is thankful for another kind of superhero: Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation donors.

“I would love to thank the donors, because they’re the reason why these kids now have a normal way of living,” he shares.

Dr. Livett echoes Antoine’s gratitude.

“Donor support in pediatric care helps us provide more holistic care for our families,” he says. “It lets kids who are dealing with medical conditions such as diabetes still be kids and participate in so many things that would otherwise not be possible.”