SARAH BENO DANCES OVER ALL OBSTACLES

Fifteen year old Sarah Beno refuses to let any obstacle get in her way as she pursues her sport of choice, dancing.  Despite having Type 1 Diabetes since the young age of six, this rising tenth grader at Charlotte Catholic High School spends at least four days a week training at Steps ‘N Motion Dance Studio. The daughter of Paul and Kathleen Beno has continued to develop as a dancer since starting at the age of three.  Her favorite style of dance is tap, yet she also enjoys jazz, ballet, and lyrical.

Her journey against the obstacles began in 1997 when Sarah began to show signs of diabetes.  After a visit to the doctor and a quick trip to the hospital, the official diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes was given.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas, an organ about the size of a hand that is located behind the lower part of the stomach. These cells, called beta cells are contained, along with other types of cells, within small islands of endocrine cells called the pancreatic islets. Beta cells normally produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body move the glucose contained in food into cells throughout the body, which use it for energy. But when the beta cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced, and the glucose stays in the blood instead, where it can cause serious damage to all the organ systems of the body.

For this reason, people with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin in order to stay alive. This means undergoing multiple injections daily, or having insulin delivered through an insulin pump, and testing their blood sugar by pricking their fingers for blood six or more times a day. People with diabetes must also carefully balance their food intake and their exercise to regulate their blood sugar levels, in an attempt to avoid hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions, which can be life threatening.

It’s important to note that two primary types of diabetes exist.  Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells.

Within two weeks Sarah was taking Insulin shots and changing her lifestyle.  For nearly ten years, Insulin shots, a controlled diet and the checking of her blood sugar have been a part of her daily life.  Outside of her eighth grade year in which Sarah spent using an insulin pump, the shots have been her choice of medication.  The pump simply got in the way with her dancing.

“We tried all kinds of ways to keep the pump attached, but we never could make it work with dancing,” Sarah said. “We would tape it under my dance costumes and it still would come loose, I eventually decided to return to the insulin shots.”

Now with the routine set, Sarah has really excelled in her sport over the past two years.

Sabrina Leclair, the owner of Steps N Motion gives glowing comments when speaking about her dedicated pupil.

“Sarah has really come into her own as a dancer, when she is out there performing; it’s so wonderful to watch.  Over the last two years, Sarah has moved forward and become a fantastic dancer.  We all think the world of Sarah; she is such an inspiration to all our dancers.”

Sarah pours her heart and soul into the sport, spending eight to ten hours every week inside the studio. This past year Sarah has competed in dance competitions in Pigeon Forge, TN, Greenville, SC, Hickory, High Point, and here at home in Charlotte. Recently she has started dancing solo in many of the competitions.

 Despite the large amount of practice time, Sarah also excels in the classroom and looks forward to attending college after graduation from Charlotte Catholic in three years. 

Sarah’s mother Kathleen is very proud of the way her oldest child has handled her diabetes and grown as a dancer.

“We have enjoyed watching Sarah grow as a dancer since the age of three. We know dancing brings so much happiness to her life.  She has really matured and does a great job managing her diabetes, we are so proud of her.”

In addition to the successful dancing career, Sarah found the time to earn her black belt in Tae Kwon Do at US Tae Kwon Do.  Interestingly enough, younger brothers Brian and Mark also hold black belts.

In closing, we asked Sarah for a message she would give to any child diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

“Diabetes will always be a part of your life, but you cannot let it stop you from living your life and pursuing your goals.”

This charming young lady lives by her own message and dances her way right over top of obstacles.

The South Charlotte Sports Report would like to salute Sarah Beno for refusing to give in to the obstacles she has been presented with.  Keep Dancing your way all the way to the top!