Latest news with #BreakthroughT1D
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Semaglutide Benefits Adults With Type 1 Diabetes + Obesity
CHICAGO — Once-weekly semaglutide improved glycemia and reduced weight without increasing hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and obesity, new research presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions found. The study results were simultaneously published in NEJM Evidence . 'Semaglutide was effective in lowering or improving time in range, without increasing time below range; it produced weight loss of at least 5%; and it was very safe,' said lead investigator Viral N. Shah, MD, professor of medicine and director of diabetes clinical research at the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University, Indianapolis. 'We didn't find any difference in severe hypoglycemia between semaglutide and a placebo, and we did not find any [diabetic ketoacidosis] in the entire study,' Shah told Medscape Medical News . 'I think the results are very encouraging, and I hope that industry will take it on and do a regulatory approval trial for semaglutide in type 1,' he added. Over a Third Met Composite Endpoint The 26-week ADJUST-T1D randomized clinical trial investigated semaglutide vs placebo in 72 adults with T1D and obesity (BMI ≥ 30) who were using automated insulin delivery (AID) systems. The trial was investigator-initiated and funded by Breakthrough T1D, not Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk, although the company did provide the drug. A total of 72 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive once-weekly semaglutide, up to 1 mg, or placebo for 26 weeks. Participants had a mean age of 40 years, a mean diabetes duration of 23 years, a mean baseline A1c of 7.8, BMI 35, and body weight 102 kg. Two thirds were using the Tandem Control IQ AID system. The primary endpoint was a composite of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-based time in range 70-180 mg/dL of > 70%; time below 70 mg/dL of < 4%; and ≥ 5% weight reduction. A total of 13 of the 36 (36.1%) in the semaglutide group vs zero in the placebo group met the composite endpoint. The between-group difference was 36 percentage points ( P < .001). Semaglutide treatment was associated with a nearly eightfold better chance of achieving the primary outcome (odds ratio, 7.77). Among the secondary outcomes, A1c reductions from baseline to week 26 were 0.7 with semaglutide vs 0.4 with placebo; increased percent time in range was 11.1% vs 2.3%; reductions in CGM mean glucose were 15.7 mg/dL vs 3.6 mg/dL; and reductions in percentage time above 180 mg/dL were 11.1% vs 2.7%. All of those differences were significant, Shah reported. The percentage of time spent below 70 mg/dL from baseline was low and the change from baseline didn't differ significantly between the two groups, 0.1% vs 0.4%. Body weight change at 26 weeks were reductions of 9.2 kg vs 0.4 kg, and BMI drops were 3.3 vs 0.2. Those differences were also significant, Shah said. Daily insulin requirements from baseline to week 26 were reduced significantly by 22.3 units per day with the semaglutide group compared to the placebo group. A total of 57 gastrointestinal events were reported by 19 patients in the semaglutide group vs 13 gastrointestinal events were reported by 9 patients in the placebo group. Two from each group experienced severe hypoglycemia. There were no diabetic ketoacidosis events in either group. The number of people who discontinued the trial early due to persistent gastrointestinal adverse events was three in the placebo group vs two in the semaglutide group. 'Prohibitively Expensive for Those With T1D' Asked to comment, Nicholas B. Argento, MD, senior clinical endocrinologist and diabetes technology director at the Maryland Endocrine and Diabetes Center, Columbia, Maryland, said that the trial 'was small but showed the benefit of using adjunctive therapy in T1D.' There is an 'unmet need' in patients with T1D with a high BMI and suboptimal glycemic control, he told Medscape Medical News Despite proven cardiorenal benefits of both GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes, 'none are approved for use in T1D, which means that they are generally not covered by insurance.' These medications 'end up being prohibitively expensive for those withT1D to access,' Argento noted. But there is no reason to believe we would not see similar benefits in those with T1D, who have a very high cardiorenal risk, he said. 'ADJUST-T1D shows that T2D agents like semaglutide can definitely benefit T1Ds with no safety concerns.' For the time being, Shah pointed to this section of the ADA Standards of Care that was just added in the 2025 edition: A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes does not preclude also having features classically associated with type 2 diabetes (eg, insulin resistance, obesity, and other metabolic abnormalities), and until more precise subsets are used in clinical practice, it may be appropriate to categorize such an individual as having features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes to facilitate access to appropriate treatment (eg, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist [GLP-1 RA] or sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 [SGLT2] inhibitor therapies for potential weight and other cardiometabolic benefits) and monitoring systems. 'We use that language from the Standards of Care in prior authorization,' Shah told Medscape Medical News . Independent Industry Consultant Charles Alexander, MD, told Medscape Medical News , 'This small study is very encouraging but unlikely to lead to [US Food and Drug Administration] approval for semaglutide in T1D. In contrast, two much larger currently recruiting global studies of tirzepatide in T1D NCT06914895 and NCT06962280 are more likely to lead, if successful, to FDA approval.' Shah received research support from, does consulting, speaking, and/or serves on advisory boards for Alexion, Novo Nordisk, Dexcom, Enable Bioscience, Zucara Therapeutics, Lilly, Breakthrough T1D, NIH, Insulet, Tandem Diabetes Care, Medtronic, Ascensia Diabetes Care, Embecta, Sanofi, Sequel Med Tech, Biomea Fusion, Lumosfit, and Genomelink. Argento has consulted or been on advisory boards for Eli Lilly Diabetes, Dexcom, DiabeLoop, ConvaTec, and Senseonics and served on the speakers' bureaus for Boehringer-Ingelheim, Dexcom, Eli Lilly Diabetes, MannKind, Novo Nordisk, Xeris, and Zealand Pharmaceuticals. Alexander had no disclosures.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Breakthrough T1D Joins Diabetes Leaders at the American Diabetes Association 85th Scientific Sessions to Highlight Research Advancements
NEW YORK, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, gathered with researchers, diabetes professionals, and other leaders in T1D at the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions, where Breakthrough T1D scientists, clinicians, and Breakthrough T1D-funded researchers presented research results and led crucial conversations that will improve the lives of people with T1D while driving toward cures for the disease. Held June 20-23 in Chicago, Illinois, the ADA Scientific Sessions is one of the largest diabetes conferences in the world. Breakthrough T1D-supported research has been highlighted at this annual event since the organization started funding research in the 1970s. "The American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions highlights the latest advancements in type 1 diabetes research and treatments from the brightest minds in the field and demonstrates the tremendous progress being made on the path to cures for the disease," said Breakthrough T1D CEO Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D. "While we know that the burden of living with type 1 diabetes is substantial, I'm encouraged each year by the collective innovation and commitment presented at the conference. As the leader in type 1 diabetes research, Breakthrough T1D is proud to fund and support so many of the scientists and experts who are driving the critical research needed to accelerate breakthroughs that will improve the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes and one day allow us to walk away from the disease." Breakthrough T1D leaders participated in several presentations and panel discussions, presenting important data and perspectives about Breakthrough T1D's mission priority areas and the research advancements that benefit those with T1D. Breakthrough T1D Chief Scientific Officer Sanjoy Dutta, Ph.D., spoke about cell therapies, Breakthrough T1D Research Director Jonathan Rosen, Ph.D., led a session on cardiovascular complications in T1D, Breakthrough T1D Vice President of Medical Affairs, Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill, Ph.D., APRN, CDCES, participated in a panel about women in diabetes professions, and Breakthrough T1D Research Scientist, Courtney Ackeifi, Ph.D., presented Breakthrough T1D's perspective at the Symposium ADJUnct Semaglutide Treatment in Type 1 Diabetes (ADJUST-T1D) Trial Outcomes. Other Breakthrough T1D leaders presented at poster sessions and events surrounding the conference that covered health policy issues in T1D, ways to include the patient voice and expand clinical trial participation, the promise of cell therapies, the importance of the Special Diabetes Program, a federally funded program that provides $160 million annually for T1D research, and more. Key research highlights from the sessions include: Vertex Pharmaceuticals shared additional results on the phase I/II clinical trial of zimislecel, also known as VX-880, their manufactured islet cell therapy that requires immunosuppression. All 12 participants with T1D who received the full dose of cells eliminated severe hypoglycemic events and had an HbA1c hemoglobin level of less than 7%, meeting the trial's primary endpoints. These individuals achieved more than 70% of time in the target glucose range within 6 months and improved further at the 365-day mark. Notably, 10 of the 12 participants (83%) achieved insulin therapy independence and were not using exogenous insulin at day 365. Breakthrough T1D's support for Doug Melton, whose proprietary lab-created beta cells are now being advanced by Vertex, goes back decades. Sana Biotechnology gave an update on the individual with T1D who received a transplant of deceased donor islets that were gene-edited with Sana's Hypoimmune (HIP) technology. HIP technology makes the cells immune-evasive, meaning they are not destroyed by the body's immune system. This therapy does not require the use of immunosuppressives. According to the six-month data, the transplanted islets are safe and well-tolerated, remain undetected by the immune system, and continue to make insulin in response to high blood glucose levels. Sana is working toward applying HIP technology to manufactured islets as a scalable treatment for T1D. A presentation on ADJUnct Semaglutide Treatment in Type 1 Diabetes (ADJUST-T1D) trial outcomes demonstrated that the use of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, as an adjunctive, non-insulin therapy helped individuals living with T1D and obesity and using automated insulin delivery systems to keep their blood glucose levels in the target range and achieve weight loss. Those in the study reported no incidences of diabetic ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia, and the drug was well-tolerated and safe. These results add to the body of evidence on the safety and efficacy of semaglutide for people with T1D. More information about T1D research shared at ADA and Breakthrough T1D-funded research and presentations can be found on Breakthrough T1D's website. About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition. About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D. Contact:Casey Fielder509-651-0087media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos
6 days ago
- Health
J.J. Spaun's path to U.S. Open title helped by a shot onto an umbrella
CROMWELL, Conn. -- J.J. Spaun knows as well as anyone how one little shot can make such a huge difference, even if it's only 85 yards to a green in the shape of a red umbrella floating in the middle of a lake. It wasn't a shot that won the U.S. Open. Spaun will be remembered far more for the driver he hit onto the 17th green at Oakmont to take the lead, and for the 65-foot putt on the last hole to cap off his sensational birdie-birdie finish at golf's toughest test. This shot was five years ago at the Travelers Championship. It was no less important to Spaun, who has Type 1 diabetes but didn't know it at the time. 'It's crazy,' said Andy Bessette, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers Insurance, and a familiar face behind the tournament. 'Not everything in life is for a reason, but at times you have to step back and think it's too weird it happened that way.' A 15-year tradition at the Travelers is 'The Umbrella at 15 1/2 Challenge,' where players during the pro-am hit an 85-yard shot at the umbrella that sits in the lake between the 15th and 16th holes at the TPC River Highland. The closest to the pin is given $10,000 to donate to charity. It was in 2020 when Spaun — who had been misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes some 18 months earlier — hit his lob wedge to 19 inches to win the challenge. The charity of his choice: The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, now known as Breakthrough T1D. 'When Travelers got word of where I wanted that donation to go, Andy Bessette kind of broke down apparently and was touched very deeply because he's a very integral part of that charity and donates quite a lot of money, too,' Spaun said. 'So that initiated our connection.' Bessette's son, Chris, was was diagnosed with Type 1 in 2011 at age 18. They are deeply connected with Breakthrough T1D, and when he heard where Spaun directed his donation, the Bessette family immediately matched it. So began a relationship that became more valuable than Spaun could have imagined. Even after the initial diagnosis of Type 2 in the fall of 2018, Spaun kept losing weight and energy. Something wasn't right and he knew it. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to little or no insulin. Type 2 is more common, mainly affect adults. The body doesn't make enough insulin and is often managed with lifestyle changes, such as diet. Once doctors got the diagnosis right in 2021, Spaun still struggled to find the right treatment for someone who spends five hours or more on the golf course. On one occasion, his close friend Harold Varner III noticed something off and encouraged to tap into Bessette's resources. 'We called him together, Harold and I, and I said, 'J.J., anything you need, you tell me.' He told me what was going on. It was about getting the right kind of care," Bessette said. In this case, it was a new product that allowed insulin to be inhaled instead of injections, far easier to manage on the course. Bessette also connected him with a doctor in Los Angeles who worked with athletes on how to handle blood sugar levels. 'He is very well connected with the diabetes community, so all these doctors were at my disposal,' Spaun said. A tough road is nothing new to Spaun. He was a walk-on at San Diego State. He spent three years on developmental circuits before reaching the PGA Tour. He had to go back to the Korn Ferry Tour, fell as low as No. 584 in the world ranking in 2021 and won for the first time a year later at the Texas Open. Spaun has dips in form, as most golfers do. He was worried a year ago about losing his card until he pulled it together late last year. He was getting closer, losing in a playoff at The Players Championship to Rory McIlroy, before his epic breakthrough at Oakmont. It resonated in some corners more than others. 'It was awesome to see him have the week he had,' said Eric Cole, who also has Type 1 diabetes and has risen from the mini-tours to play in six of the last seven majors. 'It's cool to see diabetes doesn't slow him down. He has a lot of extra stuff to deal with behind the scenes.' Imagine the thrill for Bessette when he watched Spaun overcome a misdiagnosis and manage Type 1 diabetes to handle the highest pressure in the game. Bessette can relate. He qualified as a hammer thrower for the 1980 Olympics that the U.S. boycotted. 'I think this is one of the most amazing achievements in sport for somebody who has Type 1, whose sugar levels are up and down, trying to keep them under control and win the U.S. Open,' Bessette said. 'Are you kidding me? It's brutal competition for four days. I told him, 'I'm amazed by what you did.'" Spaun returned to the Travelers Championship this year with an empty tank. He said blood sugar levels crashed hard after he won at Oakmont, from the battle on the back nine but more from the emotion and celebration and all the media obligations that followed. Five years after he hit an 85-yard shot onto a red umbrella, he returned with a big silver trophy as the U.S. Open champion. Bessette was beaming, and the connection wasn't lost on Spaun. 'He's kind of been there for me the whole way,' Spaun said. 'Even when I got my diagnosis corrected, I guess, it was even more so helpful to have JDRF and Andy on my side to kind of help me navigate another new territory.'
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
J.J. Spaun's path to U.S. Open title helped by a shot onto an umbrella
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — J.J. Spaun knows as well as anyone how one little shot can make such a huge difference, even if it's only 85 yards to a green in the shape of a red umbrella floating in the middle of a lake. It wasn't a shot that won the U.S. Open. Spaun will be remembered far more for the driver he hit onto the 17th green at Oakmont to take the lead, and for the 65-foot putt on the last hole to cap off his sensational birdie-birdie finish at golf's toughest test. This shot was five years ago at the Travelers Championship. It was no less important to Spaun, who has Type 1 diabetes but didn't know it at the time. 'It's crazy,' said Andy Bessette, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers Insurance, and a familiar face behind the tournament. 'Not everything in life is for a reason, but at times you have to step back and think it's too weird it happened that way.' A 15-year tradition at the Travelers is 'The Umbrella at 15 1/2 Challenge,' where players during the pro-am hit an 85-yard shot at the umbrella that sits in the lake between the 15th and 16th holes at the TPC River Highland. The closest to the pin is given $10,000 to donate to charity. It was in 2020 when Spaun — who had been misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes some 18 months earlier — hit his lob wedge to 19 inches to win the challenge. The charity of his choice: The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, now known as Breakthrough T1D. 'When Travelers got word of where I wanted that donation to go, Andy Bessette kind of broke down apparently and was touched very deeply because he's a very integral part of that charity and donates quite a lot of money, too,' Spaun said. 'So that initiated our connection.' Bessette's son, Chris, was was diagnosed with Type 1 in 2011 at age 18. They are deeply connected with Breakthrough T1D, and when he heard where Spaun directed his donation, the Bessette family immediately matched it. So began a relationship that became more valuable than Spaun could have imagined. Even after the initial diagnosis of Type 2 in the fall of 2018, Spaun kept losing weight and energy. Something wasn't right and he knew it. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to little or no insulin. Type 2 is more common, mainly affect adults. The body doesn't make enough insulin and is often managed with lifestyle changes, such as diet. Once doctors got the diagnosis right in 2021, Spaun still struggled to find the right treatment for someone who spends five hours or more on the golf course. On one occasion, his close friend Harold Varner III noticed something off and encouraged to tap into Bessette's resources. 'We called him together, Harold and I, and I said, 'J.J., anything you need, you tell me.' He told me what was going on. It was about getting the right kind of care," Bessette said. In this case, it was a new product that allowed insulin to be inhaled instead of injections, far easier to manage on the course. Bessette also connected him with a doctor in Los Angeles who worked with athletes on how to handle blood sugar levels. 'He is very well connected with the diabetes community, so all these doctors were at my disposal,' Spaun said. A tough road is nothing new to Spaun. He was a walk-on at San Diego State. He spent three years on developmental circuits before reaching the PGA Tour. He had to go back to the Korn Ferry Tour, fell as low as No. 584 in the world ranking in 2021 and won for the first time a year later at the Texas Open. Spaun has dips in form, as most golfers do. He was worried a year ago about losing his card until he pulled it together late last year. He was getting closer, losing in a playoff at The Players Championship to Rory McIlroy, before his epic breakthrough at Oakmont. It resonated in some corners more than others. 'It was awesome to see him have the week he had,' said Eric Cole, who also has Type 1 diabetes and has risen from the mini-tours to play in six of the last seven majors. 'It's cool to see diabetes doesn't slow him down. He has a lot of extra stuff to deal with behind the scenes.' Imagine the thrill for Bessette when he watched Spaun overcome a misdiagnosis and manage Type 1 diabetes to handle the highest pressure in the game. Bessette can relate. He qualified as a hammer thrower for the 1980 Olympics that the U.S. boycotted. 'I think this is one of the most amazing achievements in sport for somebody who has Type 1, whose sugar levels are up and down, trying to keep them under control and win the U.S. Open,' Bessette said. 'Are you kidding me? It's brutal competition for four days. I told him, 'I'm amazed by what you did.'" Spaun returned to the Travelers Championship this year with an empty tank. He said blood sugar levels crashed hard after he won at Oakmont, from the battle on the back nine but more from the emotion and celebration and all the media obligations that followed. Five years after he hit an 85-yard shot onto a red umbrella, he returned with a big silver trophy as the U.S. Open champion. Bessette was beaming, and the connection wasn't lost on Spaun. 'He's kind of been there for me the whole way,' Spaun said. 'Even when I got my diagnosis corrected, I guess, it was even more so helpful to have JDRF and Andy on my side to kind of help me navigate another new territory.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
J.J. Spaun's path to U.S. Open title helped by a shot onto an umbrella
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — J.J. Spaun knows as well as anyone how one little shot can make such a huge difference, even if it's only 85 yards to a green in the shape of a red umbrella floating in the middle of a lake. It wasn't a shot that won the U.S. Open. Spaun will be remembered far more for the driver he hit onto the 17th green at Oakmont to take the lead, and for the 65-foot putt on the last hole to cap off his sensational birdie-birdie finish at golf's toughest test. This shot was five years ago at the Travelers Championship. It was no less important to Spaun, who has Type 1 diabetes but didn't know it at the time. 'It's crazy,' said Andy Bessette, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers Insurance, and a familiar face behind the tournament. 'Not everything in life is for a reason, but at times you have to step back and think it's too weird it happened that way.' A 15-year tradition at the Travelers is 'The Umbrella at 15 1/2 Challenge,' where players during the pro-am hit an 85-yard shot at the umbrella that sits in the lake between the 15th and 16th holes at the TPC River Highland. The closest to the pin is given $10,000 to donate to charity. It was in 2020 when Spaun — who had been misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes some 18 months earlier — hit his lob wedge to 19 inches to win the challenge. The charity of his choice: The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, now known as Breakthrough T1D. 'When Travelers got word of where I wanted that donation to go, Andy Bessette kind of broke down apparently and was touched very deeply because he's a very integral part of that charity and donates quite a lot of money, too,' Spaun said. 'So that initiated our connection.' Bessette's son, Chris, was was diagnosed with Type 1 in 2011 at age 18. They are deeply connected with Breakthrough T1D, and when he heard where Spaun directed his donation, the Bessette family immediately matched it. So began a relationship that became more valuable than Spaun could have imagined. Even after the initial diagnosis of Type 2 in the fall of 2018, Spaun kept losing weight and energy. Something wasn't right and he knew it. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to little or no insulin. Type 2 is more common, mainly affect adults. The body doesn't make enough insulin and is often managed with lifestyle changes, such as diet. Once doctors got the diagnosis right in 2021, Spaun still struggled to find the right treatment for someone who spends five hours or more on the golf course. On one occasion, his close friend Harold Varner III noticed something off and encouraged to tap into Bessette's resources. 'We called him together, Harold and I, and I said, 'J.J., anything you need, you tell me.' He told me what was going on. It was about getting the right kind of care,' Bessette said. In this case, it was a new product that allowed insulin to be inhaled instead of injections, far easier to manage on the course. Bessette also connected him with a doctor in Los Angeles who worked with athletes on how to handle blood sugar levels. 'He is very well connected with the diabetes community, so all these doctors were at my disposal,' Spaun said. A tough road is nothing new to Spaun. He was a walk-on at San Diego State. He spent three years on developmental circuits before reaching the PGA Tour. He had to go back to the Korn Ferry Tour, fell as low as No. 584 in the world ranking in 2021 and won for the first time a year later at the Texas Open. Spaun has dips in form, as most golfers do. He was worried a year ago about losing his card until he pulled it together late last year. He was getting closer, losing in a playoff at The Players Championship to Rory McIlroy, before his epic breakthrough at Oakmont. It resonated in some corners more than others. 'It was awesome to see him have the week he had,' said Eric Cole, who also has Type 1 diabetes and has risen from the mini-tours to play in six of the last seven majors. 'It's cool to see diabetes doesn't slow him down. He has a lot of extra stuff to deal with behind the scenes.' Imagine the thrill for Bessette when he watched Spaun overcome a misdiagnosis and manage Type 1 diabetes to handle the highest pressure in the game. Bessette can relate. He qualified as a hammer thrower for the 1980 Olympics that the U.S. boycotted. 'I think this is one of the most amazing achievements in sport for somebody who has Type 1, whose sugar levels are up and down, trying to keep them under control and win the U.S. Open,' Bessette said. 'Are you kidding me? It's brutal competition for four days. I told him, 'I'm amazed by what you did.'' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Spaun returned to the Travelers Championship this year with an empty tank. He said blood sugar levels crashed hard after he won at Oakmont, from the battle on the back nine but more from the emotion and celebration and all the media obligations that followed. Five years after he hit an 85-yard shot onto a red umbrella, he returned with a big silver trophy as the U.S. Open champion. Bessette was beaming, and the connection wasn't lost on Spaun. 'He's kind of been there for me the whole way,' Spaun said. 'Even when I got my diagnosis corrected, I guess, it was even more so helpful to have JDRF and Andy on my side to kind of help me navigate another new territory.' ___ AP golf:
