Dear Kitty: Thank-You, Nosotros Love You, As Well As The Diabetes Online Communitywill Immature Lady You

Rest inward peace, Kitty

Kitty Castellini was non entirely an amazing Diabetes Advocate, diabadass as well as a truthful master  - she was funny, smart as well as tougher than most as well as Kitty was "good people."  

She broke down barriers inward her careers with the Laborors' Union of North America and Diabetes Living Today. 
 Kitty was the longest survivor of a pancreas entirely transplant - xiii years (since 2004,) and vowed to purpose her 2d guide a opportunity to aid people living with diabetes. 
She founded Diabetes Living Today as well as hosted a radio present of the same name, on 92.1 WVLT. 
 Kitty was honored past times Congress for her move and commitment to diabetes, as well as was an early on fellow member of the Diabetes Online Community. 

An an amazing lady as well as ane of our own, who was loved past times many, including me. 

Her legacy is a potent ane - she is business office of our DOC history as well as nosotros must hold to remember, honor,  learn as well as hold to live inspired  by her. 

Thank-you, Kitty. 

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Dear Kitty - 
I desire to give cheers you lot for fighting the goodness struggle when it came to diabetes as well as living with diabetes. 
I desire to give cheers you lot for your friendship, honesty, sense of humor as well as tenacity. 
When you lot were given a 2d guide a opportunity with your novel pancreas, you lot decided to purpose your vocalism to aid others living with diabetes as well as that’s precisely what you lot did, past times creating a alive radio present called Diabetes Living Today, devoted to helping people with diabetes alive thier best lives. 
You became a vocalism for diabetes on-air as well as off as well as I know that all of us are grateful to you.

Kitty, you lot were known for ever telling it similar it was to everyone, no affair who they were or what they did. 
If you lot didn’t handgrip with someone, live it pharma, query or an individual, you’d brand them know as well as you’d brand them think.
You sit down at that topographic point inward a conference as well as bring it all inward - scribbling notes as well as figuring out your side past times side motion - as well as thence you'd stand upward up to speak as well as you'd ready the room on fire.
You also had the mightiness to human activity every bit peacemaker when needed.
If you lot saw a disagreement betwixt people who needed to move together, you lot would quietly bring them aside individually as well as tell them to move together - as well as they would. 
Your zest for living proved to everyone who met you lot inward someone or on-line, that a someone could indeed bargain with monumental wellness challenges with grace, style, a potent will, as well as a wicked feel of humor. 
You were non entirely funny as well as variety - you lot were ane smart cookie. 
Before your life inward broadcasting, you lot were a freaking Explosives Expert! 
You had your Federal license inward chemicals as well as explosives as well as you lot were considered an practiced inward Fine as well as Finished Grade, New Bridge Construction.
When you lot would tell people your background, you’d express mirth out loud when they’d react inward awe as well as say: Yep, I actually am ane tough bitch!

Kitty, thank-you for existence my friend.
I think the root fourth dimension nosotros talked on the telephone later on I read virtually you lot inward a newspaper dorsum inward 2007. I’d but started diabetesaliciousness as well as I idea you were awesome. 
A mutual friend gave me your number as well as I called you lot correct up.  
We ended upward talked for over ii hours. You shared with me the loss of your older sis to diabetes, as well as nosotros discovered nosotros had a lot inward common. 
That was the root of many marathon telephone conversations that ever made me laugh. 
You bragged virtually your magnificent immature adult woman as well as hubby as well as proudly stated that you were a freak re: all things Disney related.

The real root Roche Conference inward 2008
Kitty is inward the front end row, 2d from the right.

I think sitting with your inward the airdrome on our agency to Orlando for the 2010 Roche Summit as well as laughing out loud every bit you lot pulled out a WaWa boloney, american cheese with mustard sandwich, on white staff of life as well as I idea you lot were crazy inward the best agency possible. 

I think landing at the Orlando Airport as well as you lot telling our driver to “hold on as well as wait,” because you lot had to halt at the Disney Airport store as well as pickup a rare and difficult to get, official Disney Dooney & Burke Disney handbag. 
You’d called the store the twenty-four hr menstruum earlier to view if they had it, paid for it over the the telephone as well as they were belongings it for you. Our flying had been delayed past times a few hours as well as all I wanted to do was acquire to the hotel - but you lot told me to relax as well as taste the moment. 
And that’s what I did. And I belly laughed out loud when you lot walked out with your perfect soap opera hair as well as fab novel handbag inward hand. 

I think driving to Vineland,NJ to live a invitee on your radio present as well as going to the The Outback Stake House with you lot for an early on dinner - as well as I think laughing at you lot because you lot went to town on your meal!  

Who could forget that twenty-four hr menstruum inward Indianapolis that you, me as well as a bunch of other Diabetes went on a request for a item cupcake shop. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 request that was supposed to entirely live a few blocks away, but ended upward existence similar ii miles away - as well as it was 90+ degrees out, no breeze as well as crazy humidity. 
Our grouping flora the cupcake store as well as nosotros ate them with gusto - inward the air-conditioned shop and called for cabs to bring us dorsum to the hotel.

Before the request for cupcakes inward Indiana.
Kitty center, white shirt, 2d row from the bottom. 

I was ever inspired as well as blown away past times your resilience as well as kindness to others, including me - fifty-fifty when you lot were dealing with your ain tremendous wellness issues. 
I think later on my woman nurture died, you lot would telephone phone as well as depository fiscal establishment stand upward for to view how I was doing as well as comforted me when I needed it most. 

During the many of the conferences nosotros attended, you lot would receive got to become dorsum to your room correct later on dinner as well as residue because that’s what your torso required.
But root thing inward the morning time - you lot were a firecracker of diabetes advocacy as well as passion, advocating for others with a vengeance! 

Every fourth dimension nosotros talked on the telephone it would live at to the lowest degree an hr conversation - as well as frequently much longer because you lot were a communicator. 

And every bit much every bit I give cheers you lot - I remove to apologize to you lot every bit well. 

I should receive got called you lot to a greater extent than this year. We facebooked, emailed, as well as texted, but I should receive got called to a greater extent than than I did, as well as I apologize for that. 
One of the finally times nosotros spoke, you lot told me you lot were actually sick as well as would telephone phone dorsum because you lot were on your agency to the hospital. 
That didn’t guide identify because you lot were non entirely “really sick,” you lot were incredibly ill. 
When you lot finally did come upward home, you lot were to weak to verbalize - as well as shortly you lot were dorsum inward the hospital. 
I think to a greater extent than or less other fourth dimension calling as well as and you lot telling me: I can’t talk, I’m besides sick. 
And that would live when you lot began what was to live your final, long battle - your transplanted pancreas was failing as well as it was excruciating - you lot were genuinely fighting for your life. 

On Dominicus evening, June 19th, you lot went to heaven, as well as the basis has less spark because of your absence, 

And every bit much every bit I volition miss you, I know that you lot are at peace as well as volition hold to lookout adult man over your immature adult woman Lauren as well as hubby Gary, from above. 
I know you’re upward at that topographic point inward the stars, spending fourth dimension with your boy as well as your sister. 
You’re with the people you lot love, dancing as well as eating a never ending bowl of Reese’s Butter Cups - your favorite, my mom’s favorite, as well as mine. 
And I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you, my mom, as well as my sis volition acquire together as well as finally acquire a guide a opportunity to view up. 

Thank you lot Kitty - Thank you lot for everything. 
I’m going to miss you lot as well as I’m going to attempt as well as do correct past times your memory. 
Not entirely every bit an integral business office of our history inward the Diabetes Online Community, but every bit a friend.
And when I experience tired, I volition remind myself how potent your volition was, fifty-fifty when your torso was not.
Lastly, I LOVE you, Kitty - as well as I promise with all my see that you lot volition notice peace, laughter, as well as freedom amongst the stars - because at ane time you lot are ane of them. 
Xoxo, 
Kelly Kunik
#welovekitty #DOC4Kitty

Kitty’s obituary tin live flora HERE. 
And much similar Kitty, it’s pretty damn impressive as well as contains links to ii charities,
JDRF and the Cumberland Country S.P.C.A , who are accepting donations inward retentivity of Kitty.  
Also, the next hashtags receive got been generated in honour of Kitty: #DOC4Kitty and #welovekitty  - purpose them with dear as well as across all social media platforms.