It's been more than two years since Christa Chastain noticed she felt a persistent tiredness, was always thirsty and had started to have trouble breathing.

Such conditions were definitely not normal for a 12-year-old girl, so she went to her doctor, who then diagnosed her with Type I diabetes.

That happened March 24, 2007.

“At first it was hard because I had to give myself shots four times a day,” said Christa, now 14.

Now that she's on the OmniPod insulin management system, she said she only takes insulin once every three days.

Christa, who is the Coachella Valley's youth ambassador for the American Diabetes Association, was among hundreds of participants Saturday in the local “Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes.”

The 5K walk started and ended at Francis Hack Park, 77-865 Montezuma, in La Quinta.

Leslie Pepper, Coachella Valley market manager for the American Diabetes Association, said the local walk is a nationwide event that kicks off Diabetes Awareness Month in November.

“We have grown. We have about 600 people registered, which has more than doubled from where we were last year,” Pepper said.

Individuals, teams and families strolled the sidewalks together.

Most wore T-shirts that read: “Together we can stop diabetes.”

Stephanie Salcedo, 19, said she participated to teach her 13-year-old brother about being healthy.

“I have family members that suffer from diabetes,” said Salcedo, who holds the title of first princess in the 2010 Miss Festival of Lights.

More than 23 million children and adults in the United States are living with diabetes, according to statistics from the American Diabetes Association.

Students in the health academies at Cathedral City, La Quinta and Palm Springs high schools served as volunteers during the event.

“As you can see out here, it's not the geriatric crowd. It's young people and families, and from this you can see we're making an impact,” Pepper said.