VALPARAISO | When 14-year-old Michael Bobos was born, he immediately faced a challenge he would fight for the rest of his life, doctors said. But today, Michael has fought the odds to be just like any other kid.

Michael, who was diagnosed at 11 days old with type 1 neonatal diabetes, had to endure treatment that no mother wishes for her newborn child.

"He was insulin dependent and as an infant had to get his heel pricked to test his blood," remembers mother Michelle Bobos.

School was difficult because of constant blood sugar testing and injections, and Halloween was never normal.

"He'd get apples, Diet Cokes, and bananas from our neighbors. Any candy he got, he'd trade in for money to buy Legos. Little things like that make a difference in a kid's life," Michelle Bobos said.

At age 9, Michael received an external insulin pump that was literally attached to his side and made life easier than constant testing and injections, but it also was difficult for a young boy to manage.

"The insulin pump was inserted into his skin at his hip or stomach every two days. It was always attached to him. It was like his buddy. A twin. He had it for four years," she said.

But when the Bobos family found out about a doctor at the University of Chicago who discovered an unusual form of diabetes, they decided to have their son tested.

Endocrinologist Dr. Louis Philipson found that Michael's diabetes was caused by a genetic mutation rather than the errant immune system, which is responsible for causing most cases of type 1 diabetes. That mutation is rare, however, affecting about one out of 200,000 newborns, according to the University of Chicago. The gene mutation acts like a lock and shuts off the pancreas.

Since April 21, Michael no longer uses his insulin pump. He no longer takes any insulin. Instead, Michael takes eight pills of glyburide a day that essentially unlock the pancreas so he now makes his own insulin, just like most other kids.

That means a lot for the avid runner and musician.

"I feel kind of free," Michael said. "My attitude's a lot better now ... and I'm not feeling sick all the time."

Michael said he used to suffer from headaches and other health problems when his blood sugar levels would drop.

Now the eighth-grader at St. Paul School in Valparaiso is looking forward to running on the cross country team at Valparaiso High School in the fall and taking part in basketball and track.

"He is graduating eighth grade this year and will be going to high school. Now he can do teenager stuff that he's supposed to do. The chance he has right now, I don't have to worry. It's a whole new life," Michelle Bobos said. "He tells me that he's just like every other kid now."