Dear Family and Friends,
As most of you know, our family's world was turned upside down when my daughter, Addie, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) four years ago this month. T1D is an autoimmune disease which attacks the pancreas, precluding it from producing insulin, which turns our food into energy. It is not preventable, treated with life style change, nor is their a cure.... She must wear an insulin pump with a catheter under her skin 24/7, prick her fingers/toes six times a day to determine how much insulin she needs, count the number of grams of every carbohydrate she eats, live in fear of a miscalculation, which could result in a life threatening event, and most importantly, live with the understanding of the daily toll this disease takes on her major organ systems. The toll may result in serious long term complications, e.g. heart, disease, neuropathy, blindness, amputation, and, for the average person, a shorter life span.
Phew...what a downer...just had to lay it out there. On a positive note, she is such a cool kid. She excels at the Governor's School, she is an awesome equestrian, and is involved in many community service opportunities. She is pragmatic yet hopeful about her disease. She is also engaged and responsible in managing it. We are fortunate that our only scary experience to date has been a TID related trip to the emergency room during a mission trip in Honduras.
So, finally cutting to the chase. Fundraising is on my top ten list I hate to do the most. DESPISE it. But this is my child. I will do anything for her. I chaired the JDRF Gala in 2013, during which we grossed $650K toward a cure for this disease. I am on the 2015 Gala Committee and was recently named to the JDRF Board. We are so close to a making significant improvements in managing T1D, and, with help from kind folks like you, I am confident a cure is just around the corner. Any contribution you are able to make, small or large, gets a closer
Sincere thanks for your consideration.
Fondest Regards,
Julie Wade,
(David, Addie and Grace too!)