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Brooke Shields Felt Helpless After Daughter Rowan, 21, Got Life-Changing Diagnosis
Brooke Shields’ daughter Rowan has been openly sharing her journey with Type 1 Diabetes, often showing her Dexcom patch in pictures to help normalize the condition.
However, Brooke recently admitted that she felt “helpless” when Rowan was first diagnosed, as she was uncertain about what the future held.
“We didn’t know what to do and then she became completely autonomous with it. She was old enough to administer the insulin to herself. And as a 14-year-old, giving yourself shots multiple times a day is a very quick maturation process. She became very competent. She had to grow up quickly,” Brooke shared with People magazine.
Rowan Henchy and mom Brooke Shields
Now 21, Rowan is a senior at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 14 after experiencing rapid weight loss, frequent urination, and other alarming symptoms.
“Another thing is you’re constantly peeing. And then my eyesight started to go, and I got a really bad toe infection. So these are blaring, red flags for undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes,” Rowan explained.
Rowan has been normalizing the use of a patch
Rowan sometimes wishes she had been diagnosed at a younger age so that she would have never known a life without diabetes. Now, despite the condition being a “24/7 job,” she has recalibrated her life around managing it effectively.
The Dexcom patch Rowan uses sends readings to a smartphone app, allowing her mom and other close family members to also monitor her glucose levels. This technology provides Brooke with peace of mind, knowing she doesn’t have to constantly check on Rowan.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition wherein the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is essential for allowing sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.
Glucose, the primary energy source for cells in muscles and other tissues, is absorbed into the bloodstream with the help of insulin. When glucose levels are low, the liver breaks down stored glycogen into glucose, maintaining typical glucose levels.
In individuals with Type 1 Diabetes, the lack of insulin prevents glucose from entering cells, leading to a dangerous buildup of sugar in the bloodstream. This condition can result in life-threatening complications.
While there is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes, treatment focuses on managing blood sugar levels through insulin, diet, and lifestyle changes.
Brooke is also the mother of Grier, 18, who has just started as a freshman at Wake Forest University this semester. Earlier this year, Grier graduated and paid a touching tribute to her mom by wearing the same dress Brooke wore when she married tennis legend Andre Agassi in 1997.
The dress was a classic summer yellow silk A-line gown, featuring a square neckline, thick straps, and visible boning on the corset.
Rowan and Grier are daughters of Brooke and her husband, Chris Henchy, a successful television writer and producer.
Source: People Magazine
