I just wanted to mention my walk here. I don't need to give you guys the statistics. I don't need to review how often Riley gets stuck with needles or how he feels when he's high or low. I don't need to spout of the statistics of shorter life spans and complications. You know all that already. You live it.
You know why we need a cure. Soon. All the advancements in CGMS and newer insulins are great, but I want a cure.
That's why I am sponsoring my own walk. There is not a local walk where I live, so last year I started Walk of Hope. All the proceeds go to The Iacocca Foundation.
The Iacocca Foundation was started by Lee Iacocca whose wife died from complications from Type 1 diabetes. Before she died, he promised her he would find a cure in his lifetime. And, then, he set out to do just that.
90 cents of every dollar donated to The Iacocca Foundation goes to research to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. They are the largest supporter of the research being done by Denise Faustman at Mass General Hospital in Boston.
In case you don't know about what Denise Faustman has done, she has cured Type 1 diabetes in mice. She is going to start human clinical trials soon to see if she can do the same for humans.
The Iacocca Foundation also donates to many other research projects going on that deal with finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
Walk of Hope will be held on October 6, 2007. This is also Riley's two year diagnosis date.
Like I said, it's a walk that I organize on my own. If any of you would like to donate click here (or copy and paste http://www.iacoccafoundation.org/donate_now.html) When you fill in your information under "designation" be sure to type in Walk of Hope. That way your donation will go directly to my walk.
I have to do this walk. I have to raise money. Why? Because at the end of the day I want to be able to look Riley in his eyes and say I've done my best to see to it that he doesn't have this disease forever. This walk is a small step toward making that happen.
Thank you to whoever is able to donate. It doesn't have to be much. If everyone who reads this post donates a few dollars, then it will all add up.