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From Schaumburg to D.C., Harding advocates for those with diabetes

Kaili Harding, president of the Schaumburg Business Association, went to the nation's capital not to advocate on behalf of businesses, but for those with diabetes, including her 8-year-old daughter.

The Elmhurst resident volunteers her time with the American Diabetes Association and, earlier this month, visited Washington, D.C. for the association's Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. She was among several other volunteers, including professional football players, such as Sam Acho, a linebacker with the Chicago Bears. Harding met with Rep. Mike Quigley of the 5th District, and Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk about the importance of educating the public, research and funding to find a cure for diabetes. She also visited the White House to meet with researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the White House Task Force about Diseases.

While she was doing this for all those with the disease, she had a special little one in mind, her daughter Eisleigh. Harding discovered Eisleigh had Type 1 diabetes about five years ago.

"She had some symptoms that I did not, at the time, realize were related to diabetes," Harding said. "They were a constant thirst, a constant hunger. I'm talking 2 hamburgers in one sitting, mood swings, extreme fatigue, frequent urination."

While at a barbecue, Harding asked friends, who have a daughter with diabetes, about the symptoms. That led her to call the doctor that Monday morning.

After a urine test for ketones was positive, and a finger prick to calculate her blood sugar showed that she had a blood sugar above 600, the doctor rushed them to Central DuPage Hospital. Eisleigh spent a week in the Pediatric ICU recovering from the onset of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.

"We received training on how to care for her, and began what will be a lifetime of management for a disease

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that, as of now, has no cure," she said.

Harding said she is still coming to terms with the diagnosis and what it means for her the future of her daughter, now in second grade. Eisleigh has just as much of a chance of attending college on her own, getting married if she chooses, and having children as any other person, Harding said.

"There will be some challenges, and also some changes that will need to be made, and she will do those things with more doctors' visits than the average person will," Harding said. "But if you look at her now, you will see a friendly, active, outgoing young child that in some ways has benefited from her diagnosis. She has become extremely self-reliant. She is very good at math, because we are constantly adding carbs, working with percentages and fractions in real life, unlike other 8 year olds would. She has also learned to be an advocate for herself, and isn't afraid to talk about her pump and meter that she wears everywhere she goes."

<h3 class="briefHead">FastTracks</h3>

Rodrigo Fernandez has been appointed as executive director of international business at Astellas in Northbrook. He will be responsible for managing Astellas' business in Latin America outside of Brazil. He reports to Percival Barretto-Ko, senior vice president of international operations. ... Tony Vassos, director of product management & marketing for Antunes in Carol Stream, said the manufacturer of food service equipment was recognized by McDonald's Corp. with the Energy Leadership in Kitchen Equipment award for delivering innovation and energy savings with the rollout of a new bun toaster to the McDonald's restaurants.

Keith Wagner, president of Fabrik Industries in McHenry, said the molded plastics manufacturer has acquired a second facility in Miller Parkway. ... Former NASA scientist James Hansen and WGN-TV's chief meteorologist Tom Skilling attracted about 500 people who listened to them talk about the rapid changes in our environment. They spoke right before Earth Day at Benedictine University in Lisle. ... Amy Pecoraro, a real estate broker, formally of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and her husband, Mike, are now the new owners of RE/MAX Achievers in downtown Lombard.

Marty Singer, chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale-based PCTEL, has joined the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Engineering Advisory Board. ... Leanne Van Gronigen, business development manager for Zeigler Maserati Schaumburg, said the dealership unveiled the 2016 Maserati Levante Sports Utility Vehicle during a VIP red carpet reception. The dealership will have three models in June for test drives.

Peter Caliendo of Hoffman Estates and owner of Caliendo Sports International, said he's heading to the Dominican Republic July 31 to Aug. 6 for baseball competitions, practices, and site seeing.

• There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people that make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.

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Sam Acho, linebacker for the Chicago Bears, and Kaili Harding, Schaumburg Business Association president wait outside Sen. Mark Kirk's office in Washington D.C., in early April. Acho and Harding attended the American Diabetes Association's Capitol Hill's Advocacy Day. Harding went as a volunteer national advocate for the American Diabetes Association. COURTESY OF KAILI HARDING
Rodrigo Fernandez
Amy Pecoraro
Peter Caliendo
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