Jo’s Cafe

Diabetes can’t slow Westview standout

Erin DeVinney keeps Gatorade and granola bars by the pool when she trains. It’s her fuel, her life support.

In April, at 14, the Avondale Westview sophomore was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

It hasn’t slowed her in the pool. She became the Class 5A Desert West Region female Swimmer of the Year this season. She heads into the 5A Division II swimming championships today and Saturday at Arizona State seeded second in the 500-yard freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle.

“She’s done a phenomenal job,” said Kathleen DeVinney, Erin’s mother, who has two other daughters (Meghan, a senior at Georgia Tech, and Katie, a freshman at Connecticut) swimming in college. “She gets full-blown shots. It’s a big challenge at a big meet with the adrenaline and getting the blood sugar levels in line to make sure you do well.”

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