After Transplant, Recipient - And Dogs - In Championship=20 Form

MADISON - Julie Seaton has her = life back - a=20 life that almost ended, but now includes an invitation to the = exclusive=20 Westminster Kennel Club dog show starting February 12 in = New=20 York City.

Seaton, who underwent an experimental islet cell transplant = to cure=20 the Type I diabetes she's had since age 14, couldn't drive a car = due to=20 unregulated hypoglycemic seizures. A mother of five, Seaton lost = the=20 ability to detect when her blood sugar was dropping, causing = confusion,=20 shakiness and erratic behavior. She experienced multiple seizures = each=20 week, and her family was constantly worried for her safety.

"My husband didn't sleep at night because he was always = checking to=20 make sure I wasn't seizing," says Seaton. "I remember waking up = one night=20 to find my bedroom filled with paramedics. I had to give up so = many things=20 to keep me and my family safe."

Taking care of her family was hard enough, but without the = ability to=20 drive, Seaton was forced to give up her promising career in dog = breeding=20 and showing.

"I was successful," adds Seaton. "I had buyers contacting me = from all=20 over the world, but I couldn't get my dogs to shows, and that's = where they=20 earn their points and prove their value. I missed that part of my = life so=20 much."

Islet cell transplantation

In 2003, Seaton's doctors told her the frequent hypoglycemic = seizures=20 could cause permanent brain damage or death.

Seaton, never one to wait for miracles, found one = herself.

"I heard about islet cell transplantation and did my = homework," says=20 Seaton. "I was thrilled to learn that the UW Hospital in Madison = had an=20 active program."

Islet cells are sugar-sensing cells found in the pancreas = that=20 release insulin, the substance that maintains normal sugar levels = in the=20 body.

In islet cell transplantation, islet cells are extracted from = a donor=20 pancreas through a complex purification process in a sterile = environment=20 and then kept alive in a lab dish.

"The islet cells are infused directly into the patient's = liver via=20 the portal vein using x-ray guidance," says Dr. Luis Fernandez,=20 co-director of the UW Health Islet Cell Program.

Islet cell transplants are performed on people who either = lose the=20 ability to detect low blood sugar or people who have had a kidney=20 transplant and have poor blood sugar awareness.

"This therapy is an important service to the diabetic = community,"=20 adds Dr. Fernandez. "We work to offer hope and help to more people = like=20 Julie."

Overcoming insurance hurdles

Seaton qualified for an islet cell transplant, but because = the=20 treatment is still considered an experimental method in curing = diabetes,=20 it is not covered by insurance. Faced with the need to raise funds = to=20 partially cover the cost of her transplant, Seaton asked herself, = 'Who can=20 help me?'

"I went to several charitable organizations, but they all = turned me=20 down. Then I remembered all my friends in the dog world."

An e-mail to the non-profit group "Take the Lead," a = foundation that=20 provides assistance to people in the dog world with health-related = needs,=20 kicked off her fund-raising efforts with a generous donation. = Other=20 associates, along with generous dog-lovers she didn't know, = developed an=20 online auction site and donated all the goods for the = auction.

"I was overwhelmed with their response," adds Seaton. "They = saved my=20 life."

In early 2005, Seaton had her first islet cell transplant, = followed=20 by a second infusion one month later.

Off to the shows

Now completely off insulin and feeling like a champion = herself,=20 Seaton can drive with confidence and travels all over the country = with her=20 Australian Terriers. Her top-winning dog, Special-Ch. Temora Bully = for=20 You, or "Bully" as he is known, is nationally ranked in the top = 20, and=20 took an award of excellence at the Long Beach, California = AKC-Invitational=20 Eukanuba. Her newest Special-Ch. Temora Bull's Eye, known as = "Sampson,"=20 completed his championship in just 7 =BD months.

Seaton will travel to the Chicago International Kennel Club = (IKC) for=20 their show February 22-26. Along with showing Ch. Temora Bully for = You,=20 she'll work the Take the Lead information booth, as she does at = every=20 show.

Bully, the number one Australian Terrier-All Breed for 2006 = and=20 number two Australian Terrier-Breed for 2006, will show at the = Westminster=20 Kennel Club today in New York but due to a buyer from Denmark = who's coming=20 for one of Seaton's puppies, traveled and will show with another=20 handler.

"I'm sorry to miss the Westminster show," says Seaton, "but = I'm so=20 happy to feel this good and be able to enjoy my family, my work = and my=20 dogs. I'm a lucky lady. Now we'll see how lucky Bully is!"

Learn more

For further information about the UW Health Islet Transplant = Program,=20 visit uwhealth.org/transplant or contact = the Islet=20 Transplant Program at (608) 262-7159.

News tag(s):=20 transplant

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