This last May I donated a painting for an auction in Colorado Springs to raise money for JDRF (Junior Diabetes Research Foundation). JDRF is the #1 non-profit funder of diabetes research worldwide. I am happy to announce the auction raised nearly $72,000 and the event (2007 Promise Ball) raised a total $279,000 to fight junior diabetes. Obviously, this is fantastic news but efforts to fight this disease have only begun.

In November of last year a friend’s eleven year old son (Gunnar) was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile) . In a recent letter she described the treatments her son has endured in just eight months. Over 1,500 finger pricks and nearly 1,000 insulin injections.”

“His blood levels even need to be checked while he sleeps and plays. She describes Gunnar as: “always a trooper who rarely complains amidst his daily diabetes routine. He actually began giving himself shots just a few months after being diagnosed.” She tells me he plays soccer and loves David Beckem (I will not hold that against him :)) and like every kid his age loves video games.

One of JDR’s largest fund raising events is the Walk to Cure Diabetes. With over 500,000 thousand walkers in 200 walk sites nationwide they will try to raise 90 million dollars. Gunnar’s Team
Super Awesome Extreme Wolf Warriors
(Mommy must have picked the name?)
 To sponsor Gunnar click here

For walk site near you click here or call (888) 533-WALK.

If you are in the Colorado Springs area and would like to walk with the Super Awesome Extreme Wolf Warriors click here.

I am not a parent so I cannot begin to imagine the helpless feeling of watching your child fight ANY disease. I remember as a child the efforts my mom took just getting me to visit the dentist. Hearing about her son’s bravery throughout this is inspiring.

“The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer