JDRF…My Passion…My Cause!

I want to take a moment to talk about one of my other passions! The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)! I am the incoming President of the San Diego Board of Directors. JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of a Type 1 diabetic. Since then they have awarded $1.3 Billion to diabetes research!

Why do I care about this? My father is a Type 1 diabetic…that means he was diagnosed at age 10! When he was diagnosed in the 1950’s it was a death sentence! But here he is still alive and kicking because of advances in research that have improved their care. BUT INSULIN IS NOT A CURE!!!!! I cannot make this a strong enough statement! No cure should involve a lifetime of pricking your fingers everyday, a minimum of 3 times a day with the reality being more like 8-10. No cure should involve shots at least three times a day and waking up in the middle of the night incoherent or convulsing from a low blood sugar.

While diabetes care has dramatically improved it is not normal. Normal does not include dying at age 30 from complications of diabetes. I am lucky, my father is still here….there are many who never even got to be fathers or mothers. So please if someone asks you to support a JDRF fundraiser…a gala….a walk…do it! Give five bucks and know that $4 of those $5 will go directly to research! If you are curious please check out the national website at www.jdrf.org or if you are in San Diego go to our local site by clicking here.
This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “Blogging For a Cause” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

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