About Me

I’m Gretchen and I run a small business selling my art called Islets of Joy Artistry.

For 39 years I had type 1 diabetes, since the age of six. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the inability of the Islets of Langerhans to produce insulin. These tiny groups of cells are located in the pancreas. Much is still being learned about what causes diabetes, but in my case it appeared to be caused by a virus that got overly zealous and killed parts of my islet cells in addition to infecting my liver (hepatitis). My liver fully recovered.  The diabetes, of course, was chronic, but even in 1978 my doctors assured my mother that there would be a cure within my lifetime. 

Generally type 1 diabetes is still a lifelong disease unless someone gets an entire pancreas organ transplant, which is an invasive surgery with a long recovery time. Diabetes made my pregnancy challenging and my son's birth premature in 2006.  In spite of the diabetes, I gave birth to a small and energetic son. Taking care of my son was harder than I anticipated with diabetes. The diabetes continued to worsen, sometimes interfering with basic child care duties such as picking him up from school safely. I began to wonder if I'd get to see him graduate from high school and college because taking care of the diabetes was exhausting. (He is now 6'1" and going to college with great grades.)

 So, in 2013, I discovered the opportunity to be involved in a federally and institutionally funded research study that had the potential to temporarily cure my type 1 diabetes, called an "Islet Cell Transplant,” in which the donor islets (from a cadaver) were chosen and treated as carefully as if they were organs, coordinating with United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH). Even if it didnt work for me, I decided it would be worth it to contribute to continuing research on curing diabetes. Thanks to some private funding and generous doctors who donated their time to do my surgeries, I received two successful islet cell transplants, one in 2014 and another in 2016, making them Islets of Joy!  It has now been 8 years that I have not needed to take insulin: the experimental transplants worked, eliminating the diabetes for now, and potentially making diabetes easier to manage when it returns.

It is, however, necessary to take anti-rejection medication to keep my immune system from destroying the donated islet cells. That means I also have to be careful to avoid any infections, as especially any virus presents the possibility that my immune system would become disregulated, calling the islet cell’s security into question.

My career had always involved education, and in 2019, after recovering from the transplants and with my son needing less involvement during the day, I decided to go back to working in the schools. That was the spring that COVID-19 hit. At first, my doctors advised that I should never get COVID-19 because I might lose my transplant. I started isolating at home which included some of the worst depression that I have experienced. Despite not having diabetes, I was missing joy.

In an effort to crawl out of that depression, I started painting (a family hobby) and joined my church’s garden club. My same doctors have just now (2024) encouraged me to "live life to the fullest,” which means leaving my house more and wearing a mask when in crowds or places without good ventilation.

I am a strong advocate for mental health and safe healthcare, as well as other safe opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups. Supporting and advocating for those with disabilities or neurodivergence from any background, I started this business to share moments of joy with others through art. I believe everyone can find at least small joys amidst life's difficulties. My joys include the company of family, treasuring and protecting my health, gardening, painting, music, traveling, and serving others.