THE STORY OF BOBBY CLARKE
When B.J. Crombeen was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age nine, his brother gave him a book about Bobby Clarke to show him that people with diabetes still did what they wanted to do.

Bobby Clarke was born in Canada in 1949. He began playing hockey at eight, but around 12 was diagnosed with diabetes.

Clarke was an outstanding hockey player. But rumors about his diabetes made people wonder: could a person with diabetes play professional hockey?

No one chose him when he was first eligible for the National Hockey League draft. But his coach from home took him to the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis. Doctors there said that yes, Bobby could play professional hockey, as long as he took care of his body.

Clarke was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers the next year. During his first year, he had two dangerous low blood sugar episodes. His coach discovered that Clarke had been eating too little for breakfast. So he created a diet plan for Clarke, which the player followed for the rest of his career. He never had another problem on the ice due to diabetes.

Clarke went on to become a hockey legend. He is now the general manager for the team he played for, the Philadelphia Flyers.
"I would say Bobby Clarke was the one I looked up to, growing up," says B.J. "Any time you get diagnosed with something, it's pretty easy to make the excuse, Oh, you know I can't do this or I can't do that because I have this reason.'"

Clarke and a few other players with diabetes showed B.J. that "I didn't have an excuse," he says. "If I worked hard and stayed the course with it, I'd be fine."