if wishing could make it so then little Wylinn Palmisano would no longer have diabetes, but that isn’t the way it’s going to happen.

Wylinn, like everyone else who has Type 1 diabetes, hopes for a cure for the disease that will only come through research, and that takes money, lots of it. So, instead of just wishing for that cure, the Friends of Wylinn chose to help raise some of those much-needed funds by running a special gala on March 12, appropriately called The Wish Ball.

 “The Wish Ball will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation,” said Linda Flaherty, a friend of the Palmisano family, owners of Goodies Ice Cream Shop in Danvers Square. Flaherty introduced the idea of an elegant themed-soiree, black-tie optional, to be held at the Danversport Yacht Club. “We’re trying to create the effect of a starry night where you can wish upon a star.”

The money raised will be going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to help find a cure for children like Wylinn, almost 7, and everyone else who suffers from diabetes.

Wylinn Palmisano, daughter of John and Stefani Palmisano, was diagnosed with the insulin-dependent Type 1 form of the disease in April 2008, almost three years ago, and a month before her fourth birthday on may 6. it was a wonderful day spent with extended family when suddenly the happy pleasant Wylinn turned into a cranky youngster as she started to act up.

at first everyone though it was a jealous response to a new baby until an astute aunt noticed the little girl was drinking a lot of water followed by frequent urination. she suggested a doctor’s visit as soon as possible. it was good advise. sure enough, Wylinn was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and immediately received the first injection of the insulin that would always be part of her life.

According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Website, “Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and lasts a lifetime. A person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. The body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.”

Type 2 diabetes, which is associated with age and/or obesity, is a metabolic disorder. “The person’s body still produces insulin, but it is unable to use it efficiently.”

According to JDRF statistics, as well as national diabetes stats, close to 24 million people are diagnosed with diabetes but only about 5 to 8 percent have Type 1. Wylinn is one of them.

Since the diabetes diagnosis, everyday life has changed in the Palmisano household, which also includes 3-year old Samuel. his parents check him constantly concerned there may be a genetic component to Wylinn’s disease that could affect their son as well.

The resolve to find a cure has intensified throughout the family, however, as they want to do their part toward finding a cure. Leading the charge to raise more money for diabetes research is Wylinn’s grandmother, Terry Palmisano of Gloucester, John’s mother.

in the less than three years since her granddaughter’s diagnosis, Terry Palmisano has been raising money through the Walk for Diabetes, coming up with $5,000 the first year alone. With the help of a friend at Page and Goodwin in Peabody, signature thermal tote bags with the “Wylinn’s Wish for a Cure” printed on the bag were designed with Terry’s input. They are sold for $10, with all the profits going to JDRF. each of the initial beautiful citrus green totes that were sold at the Topsfield Fair and Endicott Park Day in Danvers came with a pamphlet with the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. For Christmas, the company made the totes in Christmas red, which were also big for Valentine’s Day.

Terry Palmisano said, “I like to have people get something for their donation.”

 So far, more than $800 has gone to JDRF from the tote sales, raising awareness of the symptoms and resources available at the same time. and, last Christmas Terry Palmisano and Linda Flaherty volunteered to wrap gifts, an effort that raised $500 after five hours. To date, almost $19,000 has gone to support Juvenile Diabetes Research just from Terry Palmisano’s grass roots efforts.

when Linda Flaherty, however, discovered their gift-wrapping efforts raised $500, she was disappointed. she wanted to run something that would raise much more money, like a ball. With everything in place for a fabulous evening of fun and fundraising, Flaherty has high hopes for a successful outcome.

“I want Terry and the Wylinn Wish Foundation to be able to present a check for JRDF that is equal to or exceeds what she has raised so far,” Flaherty said. “in one night, we really want to blow that away.”

when Flaherty sent out the call for assistance, many people showed up to help out from business people in the community to friends who offered their services whether they were touched by diabetes or not. she also managed to get Massachusetts’ junior senator Scott Brown and his wife, former Channel 5 reporter Gail Huff as honorary co-chairmen.

“I’m overwhelmed,” said Terry Palmisano. “I think this is awesome. it was an amazing group of people who came forward.”

Sponsorships are still available at different levels. The Berry Foundation is a Platinum sponsor; Danversbank, NMTW credit Union and Delta Dental are Diamond sponsors; Salem five Bank, C.R. Lyons & Sons and Construction Management & Builders are gold sponsors; and Thomson Companies, Danvers Kiwanis, Protect Massachusetts Children, Johnson, O'Connor, Feron & Carucci LLP, The Hardiman Family, Hartnett Auto Body & Car Wash and M.S. Walker, inc. are silver sponsors.

The event, at the Danversport Yacht Club, is Saturday, March 12, 6 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $75 each with dinner and dancing to the music of the World Premier Band.  For tickets, contact The Wish Ball Committee, c/o Linda Flaherty, 23 Wildwood Road, Danvers, MA 01923. Call 978-808-5233 or e-mail .

Published: February 5, 2011

TAMPA – Konner Brewer has nearly equaled the number of times she’s broken a bone as years she’s been on this Earth. The 14-year-old has broken 11 bones from participating in everything from snowboarding to rock climbing.

“I think I have the record at school for most broken bones,” the Academy of the Holy Names eighth grader says proudly. “There was a girl with seven, but I beat her. The doctors all know me. They say, ‘back again?’ “

Her doctor visits increased three years ago, but it had nothing to do with broken bones.

The bundle of energy, with a braces-filled mouth almost always curved up in a smile suddenly felt weak and frail. a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis would jar the Brewer family and thrust them into the unknown world of blood sugar checks and insulin injections.

According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, about 26 million Americans have diabetes. About 10 percent of those have Konner’s kind — Type 1, which develops when the body’s immune system destroys pancreatic cells that make the hormone insulin that regulates blood glucose.

Konner, who hasn’t met a sport she didn’t like, takes comfort in the fact Type 1 diabetes hasn’t slowed down some famous athletes, such as quarterback Jay Cutler, Olympic gold medal swimmer Gary Hall Jr. and NBA player Chris Dudley.

Konner has always been a water drinker. But her mom thought the gallon-a-day habit she developed three years ago was a bit much.

“I called the doctor about three times over the course of three months and they kept saying, ‘she’s fine,’ ” Karla Brewer said. “They kept saying that it’s Florida and she’s athletic, so I let it go.”

The mood swings, though, were atypical of Konner’s happy-go-lucky personality.

“I’d be happy, then I’d get sad, then I’d be crying,” she said. “I didn’t know why.”

Later, she would discover the excessive water drinking and mood swings are classic diabetes symptoms. And those symptoms would culminate in finally getting properly diagnosed after a family trip to New York for Konner’s younger brother’s birthday.

“By the end of the trip, she got so lethargic, her father had to carry her,” her mom said.

They returned home on a Sunday and Konner’s uncle, Kevin, a firefighter, suggested a blood test at his station. The result prompted an immediate trip to the emergency room.

“It was around 900,” Karla Brewer said. “They didn’t know how she wasn’t in a diabetic coma.”

Konner spent five days at Tampa General, a couple of blocks from her Davis Islands home. Anger, worry, helplessness all set in, with everyone but Konner.

Within hours of arriving home after her hospital stay, Konner was wakeboarding at a nearby lake.

“I was calling her doctor and telling him she’s still frail,” Karla Brewer said. “He told me to leave her alone, that she had the best attitude. he wished everyone could have her attitude. She’s like, it’s there, let’s deal with it and move on.”

Konner’s daily routine involves several blood checks. she wakes up and before breakfast, checks her blood sugar, then in an hour or two she checks it again. she checks it again before and after lunch and before and after dinner.

During her various sporting events, Konner checks before and halfway through games or practices to make sure it’s OK.

“If my blood sugar is too low, I’ll have to sit out for a while and eat something and wait for it to come back up,” she said. “But once it’s up, I go back in.”

Konner’s attitude toward her ailment has helped set the tone for the family. she doesn’t wallow in self pity.

“As soon as I heard I could participate in all my sports, I was good,” Konner said.

“I’m the wreck,” her mother said.

Karla Brewer didn’t want to hover, and she didn’t have to. she educated all of Konner’s teachers, handing out diabetes brochures, but has not once come to the school to check her daughter’s blood.

“From the moment she went back to school after the diagnosis, she checks her blood in class,” Karla Brewer said. “She does it all on her own.”

Her teammates chip in when needed. at the state swimming meet in November, Konner enlisted the help of other Jaguars swimmers.

Wanting to be more “aerodynamic” in the water and not risk anything slowing her down, Konner removed her insulin pump, an injection device that delivers necessary doses through a tube attached to a needle in her skin, and went back to shot injections.

“My friends would take shifts and they would help give me my shot,” Konner said.

As the youngest athlete in the pool at the Class 2A state swimming meet in November, Konner swam the third leg of the gold medal-winning 200-freestyle relay team.

Swimming was going to be just another notch on her sports belt, but a funny thing happened on the way to trying out a new activity. Konner found she was really good at it.

“I was at the school for soccer during the summer and it was really hot outside, so I thought next time I’ll bring a bathing suit and cool off and jump in the pool,” Konner said. “That’s when coach saw me.”

Two years later, Konner stood atop a podium at the state swimming championships with a gold medal around her neck.

“The medal ceremony was so exciting,” Konner said. “They finally had to tell us to get off the podium because we were up there for so long.”

* * * * *There is one activity Konner desperately wants to try but her doctor told her no.

“I want to scuba dive, but my doctor said I can’t check my blood sugar under the water,” she said. “I have to wait until I’m older and have somebody that can go with me that knows what they’re doing. That’s the one thing I have to wait on. Other than that …”

She’s game for anything. It’s that attitude Konner wants to share with others diagnosed with the same disease, especially kids her age.

“They can do anything,” Konner said. “Diabetes doesn’t have to stop them. They just need to manage it and check their blood sugar while they’re doing the activity. It’s fine.”

In addition to swimming and playing on the middle school soccer team at Academy of the Holy Names, Konner’s going to give softball and track a try this spring.

Konner’s a typical teenager who happens to suffer from an atypical affliction. she and her best friend Maddy Babin do the usual teenager activities, like going to the movies and hanging out at the mall.

Babin didn’t know much about diabetes before, but she’s full of knowledge now.

“It was kind of scary watching it at first, like I couldn’t imagine having to go through that,” Babin said. “But she’s so good about it. It’s not a big deal for her. she hasn’t slowed down at all, but knowing Konner, I’m not very surprised.

“Nothing’s going to slow her down. It hasn’t yet and I don’t think anything ever will.”

A couple of years ago, Konner participated in the school talent show. Sporting a cast on her broken ankle (No. 11), she hopped on her favorite pogo stick while catching a baseball a friend tossed to her.

She received a standing ovation.

“Konner’s just that kind of individual, she’ll try anything,” Karla Brewer said. “As a parent, there’s certain things I’ve instilled in her, but that’s something that some kids are born with and she’s got it. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with the rest of her life because it’s going to be amazing.”