Mary McCormack wrote -

Friends,

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month.

JDRF, a charity I am very passionate about, will be undertaking public awareness initiatives during this month such as T1 Day on 11/1/11 and World Diabetes Day on November 14th. Please donate $11 or more in support of National Diabetes Awareness Month!

I want to talk to you about something that I care about dearly, and that it is spreading awareness and funding research for Type 1 diabetes.  My husband has type 1 diabetes, so this issue hits close to home.

Did you know that as many as 3 million Americans may have type 1 diabetes?  This is an unbelivable statistic!  Each year, more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults, approximately 80 people per day, are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S.

• Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and lasts a lifetime, requiring them to take multiple injections of insulin daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump;
• Every 35 seconds someone is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes;
• Diabetes can lead to severe health problems and complications such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney disease, nerve damage, and amputation;
• JDRF is the worldwide leader in funding research to cure type 1 diabetes, with more than $1.5 billion allocated to research since 1970, and is committed to improving the lives of people with diabetes today and in the future;

JDRF's mission has been constant since it was founded four decades ago: to find a cure for type 1 diabetes through the support of research. Until a cure is found, JDRF is also committed to working tirelessly to develop new and better treatments to improve the lives of people who have type 1 diabetes and keep them as healthy as possible.

I support the research that the folks at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation are doing, and would even if my husband didn't have diabetes.  Given the opportunity, I would be an advocate for all the work the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is doing.

Warning Signs

Warning signs of type 1 diabetes may occur suddenly and include:

• Extreme thirst
• Frequent urination
• Drowsiness
• Increased appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Sudden vision changes
• Sugar in the urine
• Fruity odor on the breath
• Heavy or labored breathing
• Stupor or unconsciousness

Select the DONATE button above and give $11 or more in support of 11/1/11 (T1 Day).

Thank you!

Mary