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The National Finals Rodeo starts in 11 days at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Luke Branquinho will be there.
Again.
This year's National Finals appearance will be Branquinho's seventh in a row. He is a two-time world champion.
In a sport known for the toughness and determination of its competitors, Branquinho has overcome more than the usual assortment of injuries suffered by those who jump off a horse and wrestle fleeing steers to the ground.
In 1998, Branquinho was a student at West Hills Community College in Coalinga, Calif., when he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes.
"I started sleeping all day and could hardly go to class because I was tired all the time," Branquinho told the Fort Worth Star Telegram earlier this year. "When I was driving down the road, I started seeing two or three cars coming at me. I knew something wasn't right."
Doctors told Branquinho that he was suffering from diabetes. Understandably, he called it "the low point" in his life.
According to the American Diabetes Association's Web site, the disease is the No. 7 killer in the Unites States.
Over 23 million Americans suffer from diabetes, including 5.7 million who don't know they have it.
Complications include heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, high blood pressure, amputation and blindness.
Fortunately, Branquinho is not only living with diabetes, he has thrived since being
In his career, Branquinho has pocketed $1.2 million in earnings.
At the 2008 National Finals, he earned $111,238 while winning his second world championship.
Branquinho, who grew up on his family's ranch in California, remains insulin-dependent.
Otherwise, there's little difference between the cowboy with diabetes and his peers.
"I don't do much different than if I didn't have diabetes, other than to test it a lot and make sure it stays at a good level," Branquinho told Western Horseman Magazine .
"I do make sure I pack a Gatorade with me anytime I go compete. ... But realistically [my life] is not that much different than if I didn't have it."
Branquinho didn't talk about his diabetes until a neighbor's daughter was diagnosed a few years ago. That's when he decided it was time to speak up.
"I talked to her and told her she can do whatever she wants, as long as she takes care of it," Branquinho said. "You can do anything, as long as you take care of yourself."
Even wrestle steers.
