Thornton's Katie Bone takes on a climbing wall. Credit: Courtesy Katie Bone

Scrambling up a sheer climbing wall or tackling a grueling American Ninja Warrior obstacle course are all challenges 19-year-old Katie Bone has taken on and mastered.

It’s not a surprise then that her type 1 diabetes is just one more barrier Bone has battled and beaten.

Bone said when she was first diagnosed with the disease at age 11, she hardly blinked and decided the news was not going to slow her down.

“The first question I had for the doctor was can I climb again?” the Thornton woman said.  When the doctor said yes, Bone quickly turned to “I am going to figure out how I was going to manage this,” she said.

Bone went on to become a nationally-ranked speed climber, earning a spot on the prestigious Youth National Climbing Team – USA. She also made history as the youngest champion in American Ninja Warrior’s Women’s Championship.

The Ninja Warrior competition fed Bone’s need to compete in an environment that encourages both courage and athletic skill. The Ninja obstacle courses as also just plain fun to take on, Bone said.

“The movements are so cool, there you are flying through the air, it’s just super fun,” Bone said. “There are also different movements, and they are scary, but they push you hard. It pushed me as hard as I have ever been pushed.”

Bone has suffered plenty of physical setbacks including an injury to her ACL and MCL. That did not stop her from returning to American Ninja Warrior Season 17, which will be aired in June. She also barely missed qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in speed climbing.

Bone said her accomplishments are important but so is getting the word out about type 1 diabetes and how it can be managed.

“Managing my diabetes properly has helped me live my daily life,” she said. “I just try and focus on eating food that makes me feel good.”

Insulin-dependent

According to Mayo Clinic, type 1 diabetes, which usually appears in childhood, is a chronic condition that can be caused by genetics or some viruses.

“In this condition, the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body uses to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy,” the Mayo Clinic explains.

WebMD says that people who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can live a long, healthy life.

“Keeping a close eye on your blood sugar levels will be key. Your doctor will give you a target range, and making healthy choices daily will help you stay within that range. It’s also important to know the symptoms of very high or low blood sugar, and how to treat them,” WebMD states.

Bone said her use of a Dexcom G7 CGM system, affixed to her arm, makes it easier to monitor her blood sugar levels and manage her diabetes. The small device provide continuous glucose readings every five minutes, allowing users to see their glucose levels in real-time on a compatible smartphone, smartwatch or Dexcom receiver, according to Dexcom.com.

Her device eliminates the need for constant finger pricks and gives her and her family instant information on her glucose levels. “It’s really about management and this system helps me do that.”

She said well-meaning people who know about her condition, will sometimes remind her that she shouldn’t eat a certain food.

“Actually, I can eat just about anything because Dexcom gives me good information about food,” she said.

 “I just want people to know that, if you have type 1 diabetes that doesn’t mean you can’t do the things you want to do,” she said. “It’s about good management and getting the right information.”

Leave a comment

We encourage comments. Your thoughts, ideas and concerns play a critical role helping Colorado Community Media be more responsive to your needs. We expect conversations to follow the conventions of polite discourse. Therefore, we won't allow posts that:
  • Contain vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive terms that target protected classes
  • Promote commercial services or products (relevant links are acceptable)
  • Are far off-topic
  • Make unsupported accusations