ane Kadohiro, 61, recalls that as a high school student with type 1 diabetes she was discouraged from attending college, planning a career or getting married and having a family.

"I grew up OK with the idea I was not going to live much beyond my mid to late 30s — that was the statistics back in the day," she said.

Kadohiro proved them wrong. She married right out of college and has two grown children and a granddaughter.

An assistant professor and diabetes consultant at the University of Hawai'i's School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Kadohiro has dedicated her life to diabetes education and research. Much of her work has focused on children, teens and the transition into young adulthood. She helped found a number of diabetes organizations in Hawai'i and served as national president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators from 2002-2003.

Diagnosed at age 8, Kadohiro said she was fortunate that she received care at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which had a program for young diabetes patients and their families that was ahead of its time.

"And I had supportive and understanding parents who were pretty smart in letting me grow up to be independent," she said.

To manage her diabetes, Kadohiro checks her blood sugar four to six times a day, eats healthy and watches her weight.

"I eat a lot of vegetables and a small amount of fruit. I also watch my saturated fats and read food labels," she said.

"My motivation is to continue living a long, full productive life and to be there for my family."