If you watch enough news, eventually, you just might see something encouraging. That's what CNN viewers saw when the network recently aired an interview with 9-year-old Carly Lenett, of Macungie.

Carly's efforts to raise money for the American Diabetes Association have reached the national level after being featured on both the Men's Health website and most recently on CNN.

After asking her parents if she could swim rather than walk in the annual Lehigh Valley Step Out Walk a few years ago, the family put their heads together and came up with a rather unique fundraiser. Carly decided to swim 100 laps at the Emmaus High School pool in 2012 and after accomplishing that, went for 110 laps last year. Those two events raised over $20,000 and led her to her latest effort, which was to swim three miles and raise another $15,000.

The three-mile plateau was decided on for this year's goal because it's not only the third year of the event, but Carly was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was three years old.

The CNN interview has helped her efforts to raise both money and awareness of the disease. Emails and phone calls have come in from all over the country and so have donations, including a $1,000 donation from a woman in Boston. To date, Carly has already raised over $14,000 toward her goal.

"Somebody at CNN saw the interview on the Men's Health website and they got in touch with us. It actually took over a year, because they were looking for the right opportunity, but they finally called and wanted to do an interview," explained Mitch Lenett, Carly's dad.

"I was very excited," Carly said when she found out she was going to be on television. Now that the interview has aired, Carly looks back on the experience exactly as a 9 year old should.

Through her efforts, Carly has struck up some pretty impressive friendships.

Olympic silver medalist swimmer Kristy Kowal, of Berks County, has been by Carly's side in the pool for each of the events.

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard Kendall Simmons, has also befriended Carly and after seeing the CNN interview, sent an email with the subject line "You're Awesome." Simmons also has Type 1 Diabetes.

Carly's newest high-profile friend is Miss Idaho Sierra Sandison, who recently received high praise when she wore her insulin pump during the swimsuit competition in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City.

Donations can be made by visiting stepout.diabetes.org, clicking on donate and entering Carly Lenett in the participant search box.

In addition to her swimming, Carly also participated in the IronPigs 5K run and the Lehigh Valley Step Out Walk Oct. 4, where she reigned as the Youth Ambassador.