Carol (C.J.)'s Personal Page

Welcome to my personal JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes fundraising page! This year, I'll be taking part in JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes in Bloomington, MN, along with one-half million other walkers across the country, as we try to reach our nationwide goal of raising $94 million. 

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. There is some good news, though. JDRF is our best hope for finding a cure. It funds more type 1 diabetes research than any other charity worldwide and it's making progress along many promising paths toward better treatments and a cure.

As all of you know, my grandson, Kyle, was diagnosed with T1D in December, 2011.  This changed his life and that of his parents forever unless a cure is found.  Kyle is amazingly mature and courageous for a 7-year-old.  He is my little hero!  He has grasped the concept of carbohydrates and learned the foods that contain them.  He must plan what he will eat, calculate the number of carbohydrates, test his blood sugar, calculate his insulin requirements and administer his dose of insulin every time he eats.  He also must be tested at bedtime and sometimes in the middle of the night.  Kyle now wears an insulin pump, which almost eliminates his need for shots, but T1D has taken away sponteneity from his life where food is concerned. 

This really hit home for me when I took him to a birthday party.  Most of the other children (except one little girl with T1D) could simply enjoy the carbohydrate feast.  However, Kyle had to make decisions about which treats he wanted, take a high dose of insulin and then experience the resulting lethargy.  A 7-year-old should not have to deal with all this.  I also had a reality check in terms of the responsibility I was assuming just taking him to the party.  I had to be trained in carbohydrate counting and insulin dosing and be prepared to administer emergency insulin or glucose if required.  It really drove home the knowledge that Kyle's life depends on keeping his blood sugar within a very limited range.

Despite his disease, Kyle remains an energetic, fun, loving and soulful little boy, who typically is the "life of the party."  He is a good student and a competitive swimmer.

I am asking for your support. Please donate to my personal fundraising efforts. By doing so, you can help me make a difference for Kyle and millions of people living with type 1 diabetes.

Won't you please give to JDRF as generously as possible?

Thank you for your support!

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