THE WALK TO CURE DIABETES IS 3 WEEKS AWAY! The MYP wants to go full force to support this cause by participating in the event. The following letter is from Lauren Norton Lerner, a former teen & Team Member (but forever a friend) of the MYP. She gave a lot to the MYP & we’d like to give something back to her. Please contact Diana or Cathy or register on line today!!!
Dear Family, Friends, Schoolmates, Neighbors & Co-Workers:
I am writing on behalf of my son Jackson. Just a few short weeks after Jackson’s 5th birthday he was diagnosed with Juvenile (Type 1) insulin dependent diabetes. It was a very difficult and life altering experience and continues to be each and every day he continues to suffer with this disease. Jackson is required to check his blood sugar levels by pricking his fingers up to 9 times/day (sometimes more if we are having a particularly challenging day). Jackson also up until just a few months ago received 7 shots of insulin per day (again sometimes more). Jackson now thanks to advances made possible through fund raising like the WALK wears an insulin pump 24 hours a day – which we change every 2 to 3 days. He went on the pump in March and it has been a difficult adjustment period but things are finally calming down – thankfully! Jackson must also maintain a tightly controlled diet and scheduled food intake. Worst of all, this insidious disease carries with it life-threatening complications. At 8 & ½ diabetes is just a part of Jackson’s every day life – he never complains or asks Why me?. To this point he has endured approximately 11,000 finger sticks and 8,500 shots of insulin and that is only in 3 and ½ years – the numbers times the rest of his life are mind numbing. Many people think type 1 diabetes can be controlled by insulin – insulin is merely Jackson’s life support – not his cure.
This year, for the fourth year in a row our family and many friends, will be taking part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk to Cure Diabetes in Queens County at Flushing Meadows Park on October 24, 2010 – along with a half-million other walkers across the country. Our goal: To help raise $105 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.
We are writing to ask for your support because now more than ever, EACH of us can be a part of bringing about a cure. Each of us can make a real difference
Please join our Family Team, Jackson’s Team, and participate in the walk and raise funds for the Team or please help us reach our Team goal of raising over $9,000.00 so we can beat last years total – by making a generous donation today. Each dollar we raise will help bring us and Jackson – my lovebug and the heart of our families efforts, one step closer to finding a cure.
Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.Lauren XOXO
Please visit my Walk Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal:
http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87751691http%3A%2F%2Fwalk.jdrf.org%2Fwalker.cfm%3Fid%3D87751691