Twenty-four points in a blowout victory over Cincinnati and leading the Georgetown Hoyas to a first-round bye in the Big East tournament. Indeed, Austin Freeman made a statement on the court for both his team and the fight against diabetes.
Six days earlier, Freeman, 20, was told by his physician he developed diabetes.
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"It's life, it happens," Freeman wrote on his Twitter account. "It just shows you that things can change in a heartbeat."
Freeman is the Hoyas leading scorer at about 17 points per game. And according to Liz Clarke of theWashington Post, his role on the team is vital to the team's NCAA tournament run.
"Georgetown isn't a deep team; they rely heavily on their five starters," Clarke said. "[Freeman] is not outspoken on court; he is not a vocal leader. But his solid, quiet, reliable presence gives his teammates great confidence."
Freeman's diagnosis puts him in the same company as Arthur Ashe, Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb and Walt Frazier, as well as current athletes like Jay Cutler, Adam Morrison, Brandon Morrow and Scott Verplank.
It has yet to be confirmed if Freeman has developed Type 1 or 2 diabetes, but both present equally difficult challenges.
According to Clarke, the diagnosis will be known probably within a month.
"Austin fits the classic profile of a Type I diabetic," she sad. "But his doctor has declined to classify his diabetes publicly, saying it will take about a month to see how he responds to treatment (insulin) to know for sure."
Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is a disease in which the body's insulin-producing organ, the pancreas, is no longer able to function properly. Juvenile diabetics must inject insulin into their body to control their blood sugar. It is common for this case to be hereditary.
Type 2 diabetes, or on-set diabetes, is a condition often found in older, heavyset adults. This type of diabetes is a condition associated with heart disease and includes a drastic change in diet and exercise habits for those affected.
Fortunately, Freeman is surrounded by an extraordinary medical staff who will help him cope with and learn about the disease. It's a crucial step he will need to make in order to move forward successfully.
"From the moment he was diagnosed, Austin was surrounded with incredibly supportive coaches, teammates, family and medical expertise," Clarke said. "He is getting the best possible medical care at the moment."
As a juvenile diabetic for about a decade, I took a special interest in this story. Diabetes runs in my family, and I have seen firsthand what it can do to athletes and non-athletes alike.
I played football, baseball, track and lacrosse from middle school to high school. All of these activities included learning how to manage your blood sugar before, after and during athletic events, as well as proper nutrition and maintaining the rest of the body.
If a diabetic's blood sugar falls too low, they experience hypoglycemia. Allowing your blood sugar to drop below what the body needs in order to function causes athletes to feel weak, tired or shaky. If it continues to plummet, the diabetic could lose consciousness.
Imagine being on the basketball court and having a low blood sugar. As a guard, Freeman would likely to be unable to put up a shot, pass the ball or even run the length of the court.
What's more, a high blood sugar can have a negative effect as well. People can become dehydrated and suffer from dry mouth, increased thirst and warm, dry skin. As blood sugar rises, a person may become lightheaded, dizzy or weak.
According to the National Diabetes Education Program, 23.6 million people, or 7.8 percent of the population, have diabetes. Freeman, who now faces these obstacles, must make a commitment to learn all about the disease, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"Every athlete I have covered over the last 20 years, whether pro or college is uncommonly disciplined," Clarke said. "These athletes have excelled not simply because of talent but because they work harder than their peers.
"Those qualities that make them deserving of a college scholarship or job in the pros--hard work, discipline, ability to follow coaching instructions, refusal to quit--are the very qualities that help a diabetic stick to the rigorous schedule of diet and monitoring required to manage the disease well."
Morrison, a college basketball star from Gonzaga and current Los Angeles Lakers forward, has been living with juvenile diabetes since age 14. He is dedicated to taking care of himself.
"I try to eat the same meals and make sure I know what's going in to my body," Morrison said to Diabetes Health. "And having diabetes helps me to make sure I get my rest, because if I don't, it's going to affect my game plan and how I perform on the court."
In the report, Morrison described a routine he likes to follow on game-day. It includes waking up and testing his blood sugar, then taking the proper amount of insulin. He follows that up with a healthy breakfast.
Soon after, he begins basketball preparation with a shoot around with his teammates. He then tests and injects insulin accordingly before his lunch. He follows lunch up with a pre-game meal of streak and a baked potato, which the team prepares for him ahead of time.
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Clarke believes Freeman will have to make similar adjustments.
"I'm sure Austin will be more careful about what he eats and, in turn, make sure he accounts for it with the appropriate amount of insulin," she said. "He is checking his blood sugars during time outs, but that takes no more than 45 seconds and is easily done."
At the start of the game, Morrison checks his blood sugar again. Throughout the course of the game, the trainers keep fruit juices, glucose, a blood sugar meter and insulin available.
Morrison tries to test his blood sugar and take insulin if necessary during timeouts and at halftime. He said he could test up to seven times during a game.
Like Morrison, Freeman will face similar challenges as a basketball player. He must not only learn to cope with the disease on the court, but it is also important for Freeman to embrace his role as a prominent figure with diabetes. Morrison and Cutler have both started foundations for diabetes and serve as role models.
Cutler has formed Touchdowns for Diabetes, an education Web site that offers information about how he deals with the disease on the field, summer camps for young diabetics and how to manage the disease.
When people can relate to a role model's hardships, it is inspiring. It makes one feel like, "If he can do it, I can do it." In turn, these people often inspire their role model to continue fighting.
In Freeman's case, however, it is important to remember he is still a college student and was recently diagnosed. It may be too premature to expect him to become a role model just yet.
"I don't think it's fair to expect him to have any sort of public role--whether as a educator, role model or advocate--for diabetes. It is a life-changing diagnosis," Clarke said. "If he's like most young adults diagnosed suddenly, out of the blue, Austin will go through several stages in his life with the disease.
"At the moment, he is just trying to get through his class work, compete in the Big East tournament and NCAA tournament beyond. That in and of itself is the equivalent of two full-time jobs and enormous pressure--pressure most college students and people his age can't understand or handle."
Based on his tweets, Freeman seems to be doing well. Soon after he was diagnosed, Freeman tweeted, "I appreciate the LOVE!!!"
Hoyas' fans have already displayed plenty of love for their star. In the first game Freeman played after he was diagnosed spectators held signs with encouraging, inspirational words.
Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III called the week "emotional," according to the report. Freeman's teammates were proud of him for playing after such a life-changing moment.
When asked about how important the role of the Hoyas' fans, coaches and teammates has been to Freeman, Clarke responded "tremendously."
"Austin said his cell phone rang constantly the day his diagnosis was made public, and he got countless text messages, emails and notes from friends, supporters and people he has never met. He has referred several times to how much it has meant to know he is in others' prayers," Clarke said.
Freeman is about to embark on a life-changing journey. He is going to undergo experiences unlike any other in his lifetime. I can attest to this as a former diabetic myself.
But as long as his attitude and ambition are as intense as his love and passion for the game of basketball, Freeman seems poised to rebound quickly. And that should give us all hope.
This really well done. good job dudester
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