Model shares his diabetes struggles with youngsters

Whatever the arena, the goal always has been the same for Grovetown's Jeremy Williamson.

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"I really want to make an impact with what I've done," said Williamson, a former youth pastor turned award-winning fitness model. "I want to keep going strong and make a difference."

In March, the 33-year-old hit a milestone.

"This is the 20th anniversary of being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic," he said.

His goal is to take his success from the fitness model world, use it to bring awareness of juvenile diabetes, and ultimately be a spokesman for the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

He came in second place at Model Universe 2007 and 2008 and third at Model America 2007. He has been involved in other competitions and appeared on the NBC game show Identity and on the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency television show on Oxygen in 2007. He also has appeared in commercials, such as one for the Georgia Lottery's Keno game in 2008.

In addition, Williamson is a spokesman for several diabetic products, including the Track3, an electronic diabetes planner.

Williamson took time off from his modeling and graphic design business to volunteer as a counselor at University Hospital's Camp Juliet, a camp for children and teens with diabetes. The camp was held at Camp Daniel Marshall at Clarks Hill Lake in Lincoln County June 25-28.

"I came for several years until I was 18 and graduated," said Williamson.

At Camp Juliet, children participate in arts and crafts, swimming and games. But there is a twist. This year, games included "So You Think You Are Smarter than a Diabetes Educator." Also, on the tables in the dining hall were biomedical waste containers for items such as blood sugar testing strips.

On June 26, the morning was relaxed, with children playing in the lake and riding in boats.

After one group of teens finished their time in the water, they compared notes with Williamson on life with diabetes in high school.

"One of my teachers had Type 2," said Williamson.

"Yeah, she tried to relate to you. She had no clue," said Morgan Enlow, a junior at Midland Valley High School.

They discussed the pros and cons of having an insulin pump and talked about celebrities with the disease, including Nick Jonas, Halle Berry and Bret Michaels.

One thing stood out most to Kinsey Hammond-Beyer, a senior at Aiken High School -- his management of the disease.

"You know in 20 years you'll still be able to handle it," she said.