A pair of patients at the SIU Endocrinology Clinic celebrated major milestones in November. Springfield resident Matthew Derber, 31, has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 25 years. Julia Lopez, 38, of Chatham, has been monitoring and self-medicating for 28 years. Matt was diagnosed at age 6 and Julia at age 10. Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age but is most commonly diagnosed from infancy to the late 30s. Children with the illness face a lifelong struggle to maintain their health against chemical imbalances within their own bodies. In a person with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces