Ellen Davis
510 Hinton James Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
ellenmd@live.unc.edu

February 4, 2016

Dear Ms. Boyd,

I am a current student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and I am pursuing a degree in a field related to health medicine. I am searching for a cutting-edge magazine, like your own, that will publish my most recent article, “Why Have A Pancreas?” This article chronicles the very real connection between Type 1 Diabetes and a faulty pancreas. Type 1 Diabetes is a very scary disease at large today. While only 5 to 10% of diabetics suffer from Type 1, the disease is extremely horrifying because it targets children. However, this article will also bring solace to parents and family of diabetics because it describes a new device called the Artificial Pancreas that ideally will give diabetics back the control they desire over their body and their lives.

Hormones have more control over your body than you think. This is especially true when it comes to diabetics, who have botched hormones. Diabetics do not have two of the most important hormones, insulin and glucagon. These hormones keep your blood glucose level at a set point. Insulin is a hormone that signals cells to allow glucose to enter the cell and therefore decreases your blood sugar. This may seem negligible, but because of this function you can eat a dozen donuts without having blurred vision or numbness in your appendages. Glucagon is a hormone that signals cells to let glucose leave the cell and therefore increases your blood sugar. This function is also vital because it gives you the ability to skip breakfast without passing out or falling into a coma.

Due to these hormonal challenges, diabetics have to implement different treatments so they can live relatively normal lives. There are many treatments available at present; however, one of the newest treatments is the artificial pancreas. The artificial pancreas is a bit of a misnomer. When you think artificial, you picture a pancreas made up of actual human tissues; however, this artificial pancreas is completely mechanical.

The artificial pancreas is composed of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), an insulin pump, and a computer algorithm. The CGM and insulin pump are two devices that are commonly used to treat diabetes. The CGM continuously monitors a diabetic’s glucose level, while the insulin pump delivers the hormone insulin to the diabetic’s body. A diabetic will typically use a CGM to identify blood sugar level. Once blood sugar level is found the diabetic will complete calculations to determine appropriate insulin dosage. Finally the diabetic will press buttons on the insulin pump to deliver the insulin. However, the artificial pancreas (AP) is different in that is combines both of these functions. An AP combines the CGM and pump together with an algorithm. This algorithm collects data from the CGM, then decides insulin dosage, and finally commands the insulin pump to deliver a correct insulin dosage. Thus the AP “closes the loop” and creates a mechanical pancreas that can operate without human help.

The remainder of my article will explain how the old treatments worked and compare them with the workings of the artificial pancreas. It will go on to explain why the artificial pancreas is so beneficial, and then provide a personal story that gives insight into how the artificial pancreas could improve daily life of diabetics. I will also present some hopeful results from the latest clinical trials.

This article is informative and fascinating. I believe it will fit well with the magazine you have built.

Thank you for your time,

Ellen Davis