By Kimberly Eaton
Office of Legal Affairs
My son, Matthew was diagnosed with Type-One Diabetes (T1D) at 2 ½ years old. He went into diabetic-ketoacidosis; and thus, he was hospitalized, spent four days in the neonatal ICU to stabilize his blood sugar, and narrowly escaped with his life.
We spent a tremendous amount of time learning everything possible about this debilitating disease; and, insulin injections, good and bad dietary carbohydrates, carb to insulin ratios, nutrition, and so much more. Our family’s experience, just like the disease, will live within us forever.
There is no cure for T1D, and consequently, Matthew will count carbs, monitor blood sugar, and likely be insulin dependent for the rest of his life.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), founded by parents of children with T1D, works tirelessly to find better treatments and preventions, and ultimately strives for a cure for the disease and its complications through critical research.
JDRF is leading the fight against T1D, by funding research, advocating for policies that accelerate access to new therapies, and providing a support network for millions of people around the world whose lives are impacted by T1D. This year when completing the Our Promise pledge form, please consider donating to JDRF, because our family is a living testimony to the groundbreaking work in the many facets of their mission.
Learn more
- For more information, see the Our Promise campaign website (link opens new tab).
- For more information on CDCR’s campaign, contact Campaign Chair Sonia Mercado at Sonia.Mercado@cdcr.ca.gov (link opens new email) or Campaign Co-Chair Tom Runge at Tom.Runge@cdcr.ca.gov (link opens new email).