Christopher Thomas, 27, was a writer by night and a teacher by day when he noticed he
was always tired and was losing weight fast. Diagnosed with diabetes(糖尿病), Thomas
would need to inject himself with insulin(胰岛素) three times a day for the rest of his life or
risk nerve damage, blindness, and even death. And if that weren't bad enough, he had no
health insurance.
     After a month of feeling upset, Thomas decided he'd better find a way to fight back. He
left Canton, Michigan for New York, got a job waiting tables, nicknamed himself the Diabetic
Rockstar, and created diabeticrockstar.com, a free online community for diabetics and their
loved ones-a place where over 1,100 people share personal stories, information, and resources.
      Jason Swencki's son, Kody, was diagnosed with diabetes at six. Father and son visit the
online children's forums(论坛) together most evenings. "Kody gets so excited, writing to kids
from all over," says Swencki, one of the site's volunteers. "They know what he's going through,
so he doesn't feel alone."
     Kody is anything but alone: Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United
States, with 24 million diagnosed cases. And more people are being diagnosed at younger ages.
     These days, Thomas's main focus is his charity(慈善机构), Fight It, which provides medicines
and supplies to people-225 to date-who can't afford a diabetic's huge expenses. Fightit.org has
raised about $ 23,000-in products and in cash. In May, Thomas will hold the first annual Diabetic
Rockstar Festival in the Caribbean.
     Even with a staff of 22 volunteers, Thomas often devotes up to 50 hours a week to his cause,
while still doing his fulltime job waiting tables. "Of the diabetes charities out there, most are putting
money into finding a cure," says Bentley Gubar, one of Rockstar's original members. "But Christopher
is the only person I know saying people need help now."