Click here to donate to Go Jim Go! Learn how to raise a family fund for Le Bonheur today.
MEMPHIS, Tennessee – Like any sibling, 10-year-old Gus Newton and his younger sister Clover love games, but unlike most siblings, they’re also twins with active lives.
“I like playing outside with my friends. I like watching TV. I like painting, swimming, and going rock climbing,” Gus said.
“I like playing outside with my neighbors and playing with my cat,” Clover said.
Parents Emily Newton and Andy Newton say their children are blessed with good health.
“They were resilient from the start, the first two months were tough, but they came out totally strong,” said Emily.
“We are proud and blessed to have twins who are 10 years old. They have come a long way.
But in June of this year, their lives changed. Gus wasn’t feeling well and he had to be taken to Le Bonheur.
“Then he got really sick and started showing symptoms so severe that he was taken to the emergency room,” his mother said.
“I was freaked out and beaten. I was just working from home and hanging out with clovers. At worst, I thought it might be pneumonia,” Andy said.
Gus Newton at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (Photo: Newton) 
Gus Newton at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (Photo: Newton)
Doctors determined it wasn’t pneumonia, but Gus would be diagnosed with something that surprised his parents.
“Gus was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and is still battling it.
Emily and Andy are worried that Clover will also have type 1 diabetes.
“He (Gus) had type 1 diabetes and came to find out earlier in the summer, and she didn’t,” his father said.
Type 1 diabetes is often referred to as “juvenile” diabetes because it usually begins in children and teens. This is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, which is needed to control the body’s blood sugar levels and produce energy.
“I was worried about his future, and what it would look like,” said Emily.
To manage the disease, Gus wears a continuous glucose monitor called a Dexcom that checks his blood sugar. His mother said he doesn’t have to prick his finger all the time because the machine is constantly reading his blood sugar.
A monitor is attached to her upper arm and communicates with her smartphone and Le Bonheur.
“It gets sent to his cell phone and mine and I can see exactly where he is and what his trends are like throughout the day. He got high there and now he’s It’s down,’ said Emily.
“They[Le Bonheur]are very high tech and they have brought technology to us so that we can monitor him and his health every day,” said Andy.
According to the Newtons, Gus’ health professionals are more than just doctors and nurses.
“I felt like they were our advocates, checking everything from medicines to future facilities, programs and school plans. It felt like a huge safety net,” his father said. Told.
Gus felt better today thanks to that huge safety net. There’s no cure for type 1 diabetes, and nothing can be done to prevent it, but Gus is optimistic about the research being done to find a cure.
They’re continuing their research, and it looks like they’re one step closer to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes,” Gus said.
Even without treatment, the Newtons say their son is doing well thanks to Le Bonheur.
“As far as I am concerned, Le Bonheur has saved my child’s life. I’m in the club,’ said Andy.
Gus’ miracle story, like his sketchbook and pencil, paints a picture of survival and hope thanks to Le Bonheur.
It’s a special hospital where Clover says he’s responsible for returning the twin brothers to their families.
“Thank you for taking care of my little brother…for making him feel like Gus again,” Clover said.