OHS nurse, Mrs. Pam Frederich, was recently named the recipient of the Missouri Association of School Nurses (MASN) Outstanding Service of a School Nurse Award, which is only given out to one nurse in the state each year. She was honored on April 6 at the MASN Spring Conference.

Frederich, who plans to retire at the end of this school year, has been going above and beyond for the Mehlville School District since 2000. That was the year she founded Diabetic Corner, a group dedicated to helping kids with diabetes socialize and cope with the illness.

Frederich said, “It gives them another person like themselves who they could share stories with and talk with.” The group has expanded over the years, including families from all over St. Louis, professional guest speakers, and official recognition by the American Association of Diabetes.

Though Diabetic Corner has become bigger than she ever imagined, Frederich credits her drive and passion to her first ever participant, Sarah Stojeba (now Nahmensen). Stojeba was a new student at Oakville Middle when Frederich met her and didn’t know anybody else with diabetes.

Frederich said, “I kind of formulated this group thinking she would meet some kids who were diabetic.” It turned out that this was not only beneficial to Stojeba, but to many other diabetic students in the district. Stojeba, who is now 30 and has two children, continues to come to Diabetic Corner meetings periodically and remains friends with Frederich.

For someone who does not have diabetes, the illness has become a great focus of Frederich’s life. Her cousin, whom she was very close to, died of the disease at 52. She said, “So much has changed since that time, it was so much harder then.” Her history with diabetes is one of her major motivators to make a difference.

When she found out about the award, she was shocked. “After 15 years of doing it,” said Frederich, “It’s just a part of what I do.”

She found out later that it was actually her original student, Stojeba, who nominated her for the award, bringing everything full circle. Frederich said of her close friend, “She’s created an even greater passion in me to continue working with diabetic families and diabetic kids.”