My Life Beyond Diabetes - by Hey Gee (Paperback)

About the Book

"This book is a collaboration between Fondation Ipsen and Mayo Clinic. The story has been inspired by Wolf Queen's experience with diabetes"--Cover, page 2.

Book Synopsis

A beautifully illustrated, adventure-filled graphic novel that provides a kid's-eye view of living with diabetes.

Emily is excited to go camping in the Northwoods of Minnesota with her family. She makes sure to pack her glucose monitor, insulin and other supplies she'll need to manage her type 1 diabetes on their trip. Near the campsite she meets Frostbite, a young wolf who can talk. Her dad wasn't kidding - the Northwoods really is a magical place!

Emily embarks on an adventure with Frostbite to find the wolf's family down the river. Along the way, she'll need to make sure she's checking her blood sugar and eating the right foods. She also takes insulin to keep her levels in range. By keeping herself feeling good, she can focus on the real challenge: leading her new friend through wildlife encounters, weather surprises, and more as they travel through the wilderness.

Overseen by a pediatric diabetes expert from Mayo Clinic, this informative graphic novel provides a kid's-eye view of living with diabetes. Full-color panel illustrations bring Emily's story to life, including a full-spread explanation of how diabetes affects the body. Backmatter provides additional information for both children and adults including a glossary of key terms, an explanation from the medical expert, a list of resources, and more.

Mayo Clinic Press Kids creates empowering health and wellness content in partnership with pediatric experts. Proceeds from the sale of every book go to benefit important medical research and education at Mayo Clinic.

About the Author

Guillaume Federighi, aka Hey Gee, is a French and American author and illustrator. He began his career in 1998 in Paris, France. He also spent a few decades exploring the world of street art and graffiti in different European capitals. After moving to New York in 2008, he worked with many companies and brands, developing a reputation in graphic design and illustration for his distinctive style of translating complex ideas into simple and timeless visual stories. He is also the owner and creative director of Hey Gee Studio, a full-service creative agency based in New York City.

Wolf Queen was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 5 years old. She and her parents learned about managing her blood sugar through her diet, glucose monitoring and giving insulin shots. Now she has an insulin pump and a sensor that tells her parents her blood sugar every five minutes. An adventurous child, Wolf Queen loves to play outside, hike, swim, ice skating, practice gymnastics, fish, and more. She lives in Minnesota with her parents, siblings and their beloved golden retriever.

Dr. Creo leads the Pediatric Diabetes Center at Mayo Clinic and enjoys working with the diabetes team to help children of all ages adapt to life with diabetes. She has a special interest in diabetes technology and artificial intelligence and has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. She also has a passion for teaching trainees at all levels and has received many awards for teaching excellence.