History of Riding on Insulin

The first camp took place in Tahoe, California months after Sean's diagnosis in association with the Diabetic Youth Foundation - Bearskin Meadows. Since its inception, Riding on Insulin Snowboard Camps and Clinics have grown throughout the country and will be hosting its first international event in association with HypoActive in Australia - July 08.

Timeline of events leading to Riding on Insulin:

Sean's weight from before diagnosis 153 lbs.

Late March 2004: U.S. National Snowboarding Championships - Sean becomes severely ill. Has to catch a flight the following day to Quebec for the Canadian National Championships. Illness resides for the time being while following a bland travel diet. Returns back to Colorado - very ill and goes to the ER a total of 6+ times in 2 weeks. Told just a bad flu, glucose is noted to be high. No connections are made.

Early April 2004: Sean returns to the hospital, this time doctors see he is almost incoherent. Sean is admitted to the hospital for 2 weeks and misdiagnosed as a Type 2. Put on pills due to his age and the misdiagnosis. Very sick and in ketoacidosis almost daily. Within the two weeks body weight declined to 119lbs. Pneumonia sets in.

May/June 2004: Still very ill. Clothing no longer fits and cant get out of bed. Sent out to California from Colorado to be taken care of by parents. Sponsors begin to drop Sean from their teams seeing that he is of no good use to represent their company being chronically ill. Major depression as he doesn't understand what is happening to his body and his snowboarding career.

July 3, 2004: Attempts to return back to Colorado. After nearly passing out at an airport in California, Sean is taken to UCI's teaching hospital (now UCI Joslin Diabetes Center) and given the correct diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes on his mother's birthday. Weight begins to come back - "That first shot was the best feeling in the world."

July 3, 2004 continued - Mission to give back to diabetics for inspiring Sean to continue on. Riding on Insulin is formed for the "heroes" of diabetes (the children, teens, and adults that live with it daily).

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