Below are various materials approved by Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (CHI) to assist in teaching the basics of hyperinsulinism to younger children. These materials are great for children with hyperinsulinism to better understand their condition, or as an aid for their siblings, cousins, friends, or classmates.
Children’s Book
“Rare But Just Right- My Sweet Sibling and I,” a children’s book by Chloe Koeppen exploring the hyperinsulinism sibling experience – is now available for purchase!
Meet Eugene and Danielle, two siblings with a bond as strong as steel and hearts full of courage. When Eugene is assigned to present on a genetic condition for the school fair, he decides to research his sister’s condition known as Congenital Hyperinsulinism. With the help of a wise cat named Sugar, they embark on a magical adventure to find answers and discover the power of science and compassion. Join them on a journey filled with wonder and friendship in “Rare But Just Right- My Sweet Sibling and I.” The book is available for purchase on Amazon here (https://amzn.to/3XBs7dg), and 25% of the proceeds will be donated to CHI.
This book was part of Koeppen’s work as a graduate student at Rutgers University studying genetic counseling; Koeppen received guidance from a team of experts including one of our founders and CEO Julie Raskin with additional feedback from our patient advocate members of the CHI Collaborative Research Network. Click the link above or the book cover image to buy this book.
Coloring Materials
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a CHI Center of Excellence (COE), released “My Guide to HI: An Educational Coloring Book about Hyperinsulinism.” Click the image to download this PDF for free.
Our mascot, the CHIbra, borrows from the rare disease zebra mascot. As raredisease.org explains, “Historically, medical professionals were told that when they ‘hear hoofbeats,’ they should not expect to see a zebra. In other words, look for the more common answer, a horse. Now, we know that one in ten Americans is actually a zebra!” Click the image to download a PDF of the CHI mascot, the CHIbra!
Elizabeth Hoertz – an HI mom, high school teacher, and artist – created these fun coloring pages featuring various HI management tools. Click the images to download these coloring pages for free.
Sing-Along Videos
“When your sugar’s low and your insulin’s high, it might be HI!” Have you heard our HI Song? If not, or if it’s been a while, check out the video today! Former staff member and professional musician Janna Pelle crafted this catchy tune in 2019 with input from the CHI staff and community.
“What would you do if you had a Life Without Lows?” Check out our “Life Without Lows” video, where Janna Pelle sings about some of the challenges of managing blood sugar levels.
