GOLDSBORO, N.C. -- Sometimes in life, a burden is accompanied by a rare gift.

Madeline Edwards won't let juvenile diabetes get her down

The gift can help take your mind off the burden. It often can help you overcome the burden.

That's exactly what has happened in Wayne County, where 7-year-old Madeline Edwards has turned what could be a tragedy into a triumph.

She's doing it with song.

Madeline is not an average 7-year-old. She's taught herself to sing, and she can perform in five languages.

Madeline was inspired by classical singer Charlotte Church.

"I thought her voice was beautiful," Madeline said, "and I wanted to do the same thing."

Madeline's voice isn't the only thing that sets her apart from other children. She has juvenile diabetes, and she checks her blood-sugar level as many as 12 times a day.

"It's not very fun," she said, "because you feel weak, and you don't feel very good, and you can't do things."

Said Madeline's mother, Kelli: "It's been a long road.

"There aren't many nights that we sleep through the night," Kelli Edwards said, "because we're always worried that her sugar levels are going to drop too low."

Rather than let the disease get her down, Madeline's parents helped her make a CD. They are donating profits from sales of the disc to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"This is going to be her life until there is a cure," Kelli said. "She's going to have to prick her finger and take shots every day.

"If she can do something, give something to help, it would be nice. So we decided to do the CD."

People can purchase the CD for $13. Checks can be made payable to:

Madeline Edwards

664A North Spence Avenue

Goldsboro N.C., 27534

There's also information on how to purchase the CD available on Madeline's web site

Said Madeline: "It's really mostly exciting.

"I get to sing," she said. "I get to tell everybody that it's me, listen to me."

There's little doubt that with a voice like hers, people will be listening.