From the hill overlooking the event, a sea of bright green T-shirts led the eye to a gathering of at least 50 people.

The shirts marked the members of "Team Mikey," who had come to Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville Sunday morning for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk. Their reason for doing so was Mike "Mikey" Holihan, 17, a Northampton Area High School student who has type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes.

"We just felt it was important to raise money for a cure for diabetes," said Mikey's mom, Kelly Holihan. "And to see how all his friends came out to support him ... it just touches me."

Most of the Team Mikey members were young, being either Mikey's friends or teammates from the high school volleyball team. A number of adults among them included members of the Holihan family and parents of other young participants.

Mikey's uncle, Craig Landis, described the event as "educational," adding, "I didn't know a lot about [type 1 diabetes]. It really opened my eyes."

"I'd do anything for this kid," said Mikey's dad, Michael. "It's incredible all the support that's here. It just makes you feel really good."

Mikey was diagnosed with diabetes just a week before his 13th birthday. His mother, noticed something was wrong.

"He lost weight. He just didn't look good to me," she said. " "He was listless. He would just lay around and that wasn't like him."

After taking him to the doctor – who commented Mikey looked "fine" – Kelly suggested a blood sugar test. The result was 600 – six times the normal level – and a three-day hospital stay for Mikey.

"It was rough," said Mikey's father, adding he is proud of his son for taking responsibility for managing his health. "He's made it easy for us."

Kelly Holihan gave Mikey his very first insulin injection. After that, her son took over.

"He did it himself. He really just took control of it," said his mother.

"I just had to deal with it," said Mikey, who sees his role as simply doing what he has to do.

Mikey wears an insulin pump most of the time. It does come off it sometimes, such as during volleyball games, he said.

Most of Mikey's friends said diabetes really doe s not affect their activities or their relationship.

"I see him with his pump and stuff, but other than that ... nothing really," said Josh Wilson, a senior and member of the volleyball team.

Likewise, Mikey's friend Zach Miller, also a junior at Northampton, said the two are constantly active and never stop or slow down because of Mikey's diabetes. Miller, a member of the high school tennis team, said he and Mikey play tennis together and play other sports such as basketball. They also enjoy the trampoline.

"I'm always doing stuff," Mikey said.

Miller said he enjoyed participating in the walk because it gave him a chance to hang out with his friends.

"It's Mikey's day," said volleyball coach Doug Fehnel. Although the walk was not a part of team training, it displayed the sense of teamwork the boys have, he said.

"[Mikey]'s a good kid, works hard and pretty much our team is built around teamwork," Fehnel said.

The team is having a "great" season this year, he said. "Mikey's a big part of that."

Mikey and Fehnel said diabetes has become a team joke. For example, during running exercises, Mikey comes n last.

"He'll blame it on his diabetes, not because he's slow," joked Fehnel.

Except for wearing the pump, Mikey can do pretty much anything his friends can do.

"I just test my blood sugar and everything is fine," said Mikey.

"He can eat or drink whatever his friends eat or drink," said his mother. "As long as he takes the correction for it, he can eat just like anybody else."

Walk participants raised money by selling T-shirts and asking for donations with a goal of raising $1,000 for the foundation.

They expect to exceed that goal, said Kelly. So far the group has collected $770, with another $400 in pledges yet to come in. The group has until June 30 to turn in the money collected.

To donate to Team Mikey, visit walk.jdrf.com and search for Team Mikey. Donations can be made through June 30.