Famous French Nobel laureate and novelist Anatole France beautifully wrote: “To
accomplish great things; we must not only act but also dream; not only plan but also believe.”
Hope and belief in a brighter future are virtues that guide us as humans. Without hope, we would not be where we are today. It is why we can wake up and live our lives with intention. Hope drives us to believe tomorrow will be better than yesterday through hope.
I felt this intentional feeling of hope intensely in the winter of 2009. I was 8 years old at the time, and my 10-year-old sister, Aubrey, had recently been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes, or “T1D,” is a chronic condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s insulin-producing cells. This shuts down the production of insulin, a hormone used to regulate blood glucose levels and help cells complete their necessary functions. As a result, those with T1D are put on lifelong insulin therapy.
This was a dramatic change for my sister. She was navigating a changing lifestyle while our family adjusted to helping her cope with this lifelong illness she would face every day. The blood sugar highs, the lows, the injections, the finger pokes. She was thrown into a world she hadn’t signed up for, but her resilience and bravery kept propelling her forward.
A few months before her diagnosis, she was involved in a production at the Children’s
Theater of Winnetka where she played Tinkerbell in “Peter Pan.” It was poetic and wonderful she
played this role as she would soon live her life portraying the message of believing in the power
of hope — hope for a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
One organization doing work that brings hope for a cure is Breakthrough T1D, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Founded in 1970, Breakthrough T1D has pioneered and accelerated medical advancements for those living with the illness — a staggering 9 million people globally, with that number expected to grow to 17.5 million people by the year 2040.
Breakthrough T1D chief scientific officer Sanjoy Dutta said, “We are focused on the
entire T1D continuum, from those who don’t have T1D to those who have had it for decades.”
To date this organization has raised over $449.4 million in total research support. These funds
come from US and international government funding, industry partnerships and research funding
from various generous donors and grants.
According to Breakthrough T1D, funds are used in three concrete ways to battle T1D. First, early detection methods are being advanced to support high risk individuals and reduce the risk of the development of DKA (a life threatening complication of T1D) at diagnosis. Second, disease-modifying therapies are being generated to target and correct the autoimmune mechanisms that play a role in the insulin-producing beta cell destruction that is the original cause of the illness. And lastly, cell therapies are being tested in clinical trials to inject healthy insulin-producing beta cells into individuals while controlling immunosuppression.
How I Help — And You Can Too
One way I have been able to personally support T1D research funding is through my passion for running. I have had the privilege of running as a charity runner with Team Breakthrough T1D in five Bank of America Chicago Marathons, helping raise over $17,000 for the organization. I’m pleased to be running again this year on October 13 alongside more than 10,000 other charity runners supporting more than 170 local, national, and global efforts in Chicago.
Why support our cause? It all stems back to the idea of hope. Hope that we can in fact do great things when we come together and fight for a cure, change, prosperity and peace. I’m proud to foster that sense of hope each and every day that one day my sister will live a life that’s just a little bit easier, a little bit more manageable. I hope because I can, we all can.
This post was submitted as part of our “You Said It” program.” Your voice, ideas, and engagement are important to help us accomplish our mission. We encourage you to share your ideas and efforts to make the world a better place by submitting a “You Said It.”
How To Help
If you want to help me reach my fundraising goal of $4000 as Breakthrough T1D strives to get $400,000 in total funds for the Chicago Marathon this year, please follow the link to my fundraising page. I am very grateful for all those who have supported my family along the way.
