am writing to ask you all to be a part of an event that is coming up on October 23, 2010: The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes. There are two ways to take part: walk with us here in Greenville and raise money from supporters, or donate money to those of us who will walk that day.
As you all know, our Ethan is a beautiful, bright, energetic 7-year-old who was diagnosed last year with Type 1 Diabetes. He has recently started using an insulin pump, which will make managing his diabetes much easier- eventually. Right now we are still working to make sure the right information is entered into this incredibly advanced piece of machinery so that it functions to take the place of his pancreas.
Come on, diabetes isn’t that big a deal, is it?
When he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on October 2, 2009, Ethan began having two to three shots of insulin a day, and had his finger pricked to test his blood at least 5 times a day. Since he got his insulin pump on August 3, he hasn’t had to have the shots every day, just a needle put into his body every three days that stays there 24/7. He can take it out for, at most, an hour a day. He still does the finger pricks 6 to 10 times a day, and we have to calculate the carbohydrate count of every bite of food that goes into his mouth in order to give him the right insulin dose. If we give him too much insulin, he could go “low” and pass out, even go into a coma. We don’t go out of the house without a blood glucose meter, glucose tablets, and a glucagon pen, which we would use should he have a serious low and pass out.
If we give him too little insulin, he can feel sick and have headaches in the short run, but in the long run, he runs a much higher risk of heart disease, kidney failure, eye disease, including blindness, and nerve disease- the part of the illness that necessitates limb amputation. We haven’t even tried to talk to Ethan about the long-term implications of his disease, but I think about them every day.
How does giving money to a JDRF Walk help?
All of the money collected at the more than 200 JDRF Walks worldwide goes toward helping to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Scientists funded by JDRF grants are:
*creating new, faster acting insulins that will mimic the human pancreas;
*researching how to negate the autoimmune process that causes both Type 1 Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis;
*developing a vaccine which will reverse the immune attack that causes Type 1 Diabetes;
*finalizing work on the Artificial Pancreas, which is on track to be in patients by 2013;
*developing drugs that will regenerate insulin producing cells in hopes of restoring the body’s ability to produce insulin again.
All of this research and all of the advancements in Diabetes treatment has come from research that could not be advanced without private donations.
Ethan will live a long and healthy life because he has people who love him and will do whatever it takes to keep him healthy. He will do anything he wants in his life: climb Mt. Everest, dive with sharks, skydive from an airplane, play football for the Gators, be a racecar driver, or a private investigator, or a husband, or a dad. And he will live to a ripe old age. My wish is that he could do all that without having to worry if his pump malfunctions or if his insulin has gotten overheated or if he has enough glucose tablets or if that numbness in his feet is neuropathy.
Our whole family has taken an active role in Ethan’s care. In some ways, his diabetes has been a blessing in that it has brought us even closer. I know that we are very lucky to have the best medical treatment available and luckier than most in our access to it. But no matter how much money you have, no matter how many people you know, there is still no cure for Ethan or any other Type 1 Diabetic. Please help us find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Even a small donation will go a long way towards finding the cure.
As you all know, our Ethan is a beautiful, bright, energetic 7-year-old who was diagnosed last year with Type 1 Diabetes. He has recently started using an insulin pump, which will make managing his diabetes much easier- eventually. Right now we are still working to make sure the right information is entered into this incredibly advanced piece of machinery so that it functions to take the place of his pancreas.
Come on, diabetes isn’t that big a deal, is it?
When he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on October 2, 2009, Ethan began having two to three shots of insulin a day, and had his finger pricked to test his blood at least 5 times a day. Since he got his insulin pump on August 3, he hasn’t had to have the shots every day, just a needle put into his body every three days that stays there 24/7. He can take it out for, at most, an hour a day. He still does the finger pricks 6 to 10 times a day, and we have to calculate the carbohydrate count of every bite of food that goes into his mouth in order to give him the right insulin dose. If we give him too much insulin, he could go “low” and pass out, even go into a coma. We don’t go out of the house without a blood glucose meter, glucose tablets, and a glucagon pen, which we would use should he have a serious low and pass out.
If we give him too little insulin, he can feel sick and have headaches in the short run, but in the long run, he runs a much higher risk of heart disease, kidney failure, eye disease, including blindness, and nerve disease- the part of the illness that necessitates limb amputation. We haven’t even tried to talk to Ethan about the long-term implications of his disease, but I think about them every day.
How does giving money to a JDRF Walk help?
All of the money collected at the more than 200 JDRF Walks worldwide goes toward helping to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Scientists funded by JDRF grants are:
*creating new, faster acting insulins that will mimic the human pancreas;
*researching how to negate the autoimmune process that causes both Type 1 Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis;
*developing a vaccine which will reverse the immune attack that causes Type 1 Diabetes;
*finalizing work on the Artificial Pancreas, which is on track to be in patients by 2013;
*developing drugs that will regenerate insulin producing cells in hopes of restoring the body’s ability to produce insulin again.
All of this research and all of the advancements in Diabetes treatment has come from research that could not be advanced without private donations.
Ethan will live a long and healthy life because he has people who love him and will do whatever it takes to keep him healthy. He will do anything he wants in his life: climb Mt. Everest, dive with sharks, skydive from an airplane, play football for the Gators, be a racecar driver, or a private investigator, or a husband, or a dad. And he will live to a ripe old age. My wish is that he could do all that without having to worry if his pump malfunctions or if his insulin has gotten overheated or if he has enough glucose tablets or if that numbness in his feet is neuropathy.
Our whole family has taken an active role in Ethan’s care. In some ways, his diabetes has been a blessing in that it has brought us even closer. I know that we are very lucky to have the best medical treatment available and luckier than most in our access to it. But no matter how much money you have, no matter how many people you know, there is still no cure for Ethan or any other Type 1 Diabetic. Please help us find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Even a small donation will go a long way towards finding the cure.
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