In Training
Grant ’ s First 10K
First Half Marathon
Ryan ’ s Half Marathon Finish
Dear Friends …
We did it !
As I ’ ve shared in the past , my middle son Drew was diagnosed in 2010 at the age of 6 with type 1 diabetes , a day that forever changed our entire family ’ s lives . Our days and nights revolved around managing his blood glucose levels with anywhere between 10-15 finger sticks in a 24-hour period and up to 10 insulin injections per day . T1D requires constant monitoring and management , provides zero days off and has no cure . I recently read about a Stanford University research study finding that people living with T1D make an extra 180 health-related decisions a day than someone without diabetes – about once every 5 minutes you are awake .
We have come a long way in the last 13 years . Drew is now completely self-sufficient in managing his blood glucose levels and insulin administration ( without complaint I might add ) with help from some pretty amazing technology . The advancing technology and tools available to those living with T1D today have certainly improved both the quality and life expectancy over what it once was . I am so thankful ! Despite the challenges presented by T1D , Drew played soccer year-round from middle school through and high school and has just started his freshman year at the University of Alabama .
I have met so many other families with newly diagnosed babies like Drew was , just beginning to process the day to day burden their child is going to carry for their lifetime . Like others before us , I try to help encourage them by sharing how far Drew has come , but sometimes we just need to cry . Despite all of the wonderful tools that certainly make life a little easier , we need a cure .
Two years ago , I decided to take a more active role in finding our cure by running with Team JDRF . JDRF ( Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ) is the largest nongovernmental funder of T1D research and the only global organization with a strategic research plan to fight T1D . They are accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure , prevent and treat T1D and its complications .
Now if you enjoy running , you won ’ t think this is a big deal but I ’ ve never been a runner ( in fact I loathe it ). I decided that considering what my Drew and others with T1D have to deal with just to get through a day , this old , exercise-hating mom pushing 50 could do more to help . I started training in October 2021 and ran my first two races at runDisney ’ s Princess Half Marathon weekend in February 2022 . I think my family was a bit shocked that I made it ! After hearing how much fun I had crossing that finish line all three of my boys : Ryan , Drew and Grant joined in and we ’ ve logged 95.8 official miles collectively for Team JDRF over 8 race weekends .
I am currently training to run 22.4 miles this November and again in February 2024 and have committed to raising funds for research to help JDRF create a world without T1D . If you ’ d like to show your support for someone you love with T1D , I would love your help in meeting my goal . All donations go directly to JDRF and are tax-deductible . To participate , scan the QR code or email me at info @ kidslifemagazine . com .
Let ’ s turn TYPE ONE into TYPE NONE !