You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2010.
When I filled out the online registration form last Wednesday, I was asked to set a fund-raising goal for the Walk. I decided to go with the recommended individual goal of $100. When I set it, I never imagined that I would’ve reached that goal this soon! I’m grateful to those generous people who have sponsored me already.
However, with more than a month still remaining before the Walk, it wouldn’t make sense for me to just quit my fund-raising efforts. After all, I still have plenty of friends I haven’t asked yet. So with a sense of accomplishment and a desire to press forward, I have decided to double my fund-raising goal. I figure that since I managed to get enough support to raise $100 in less than a week, it shouldn’t be much trouble to raise another $100 in the next month!
I would like to thank all of my current sponsors who have helped me meet my first goal so quickly. And for those who are still debating about donating, I’d encourage you to give whatever you can. Even $10 helps!
Thank you for your support.
Most people understand that type one diabetes is a condition where someone’s own pancreas doesn’t produce insulin anymore. Insulin is a hormone that the body needs to process glucose, the sugar that our body’s digestive system converts all carbohydrates into. Without insulin, a diabetic’s body allows the glucose to remain in the bloodstream and accumulate there. As the amount of glucose in the bloodstream — the blood glucose level or blood sugar level — increases, it has negative effects on the body. Constant or even frequent high blood glucose levels eventually lead to organ failure (the kidneys often being first), improper blood circulation which can lead to gangrene in the extremities, and eventually, death. Without regular insulin injections, a type diabetic can look forward to a miserable, painful, and short life.
What fewer people realize is that getting too much insulin can result in death, too. In fact, if a person’s blood glucose level falls too low just once — which can happen if a person receives too much insulin — brain damage and even death can be immediate. This is why living with type one diabetes is much more complicated than simply injecting oneself with insulin on a regular basis.
A type one diabetic must regularly test their blood glucose levels throughout the day, verifying it is neither too high nor too low. (Bear in mind that the “safety zone” for blood glucose levels also depends on the time of day, particularly in relation to mealtimes.) They do this constantly so that they can take the appropriate action (more insulin or more food) if their blood glucose levels is drifting too far in either direction.
Even the process of giving a regularly scheduled injection is not entirely straightforward. When determining how much insulin to administer, a diabetic must take into account their current blood glucose level, the amount of carbohydrates, and their anticipated level of physical activity (which also affects blood glucose levels) over the next several hours. Based on this information, a diabetic can make an estimate of how much insulin they need and inject themselves. Such calculations are not precise however, and a diabetic needs to check their actual blood glucose level periodically after administering insulin.
If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. JDRF has a document describing a typical day for a type one diabetic. They encourage people who want to know what it’s like to be a diabetic to go through a day living by that schedule, just to get a better idea of what it’s like.
Bear in mind that this is what a type one diabetic does every day because they need to do it to stay alive and healthy. Also bear in mind that many of the people living their lives like this every day are children. Imagine having to learn to count carbohydrates and figure out how much insulin you need to take before yo learn to shave or buy your first bra. Imagine having to take a break from playing with your friends because it’s time to check your blood sugar again. Again, imagine you need to do all this just to stay alive and healthy. Isn’t that a lot to expect a child to live with?
This is why supporting research to find a cure for diabetes is so important. I would again ask you to help fund that research by either sponsoring me or someone you know who participating in Walk to Cure Diabetes, or become a walker yourself. Every donation, whether $10 or $1000, helps bring us closer to a day when children won’t have to spend time making sure their blood sugar remains at a safe level.
The image for this post was taken from the Diabetes 365 group on Flickr.
I’ve set up this blog to follow my experiences participating in the 2010 Walk to Cure Diabetes here in Rochester. I plan on giving regular updates as I collect sponsors. I’ll also try to post some information about type one diabetes (including stories from people living with the disease) and the current research being done to find a cure as well as improve treatment.
During the walk itself, I hope to take pictures and do a certain level of live-blogging. Hopefully, it will generate more interest and maybe even get more people to sign up to walk next year.
If you would like to sponsor me, you may do so on my fund-raising page. Or perhaps you’d like to sponsor someone local to you. And of course, you’re more than welcome to sign up to walk yourself. Whatever your choice, I appreciate any way you might choose to help fund more research. Let’s help find a cure!
