Dearest Friends and Family,
As I take a look back in time, I cannot help but mark our journey with Diabetes by the Walks we've taken…the walk to the car with my seven month old baby girl when she was so sick…the walk into the ER that frightful night of diagnosis. It seems so long ago and, yet, just like yesterday as the tears come quickly to my eyes. I remember the walk into Children's Hospital for the first time, over the skywalk, as the doctors and nurses put us on the path to live with this disease, supporting us to help our daughter grow into a beautiful, healthy girl.
I remember our first Walk to Cure, with my mom by my side. She'd scour the internet for clues and information on how to handle our new life. I remember our second, third Walks…all of them. What I remember most is the incredible support of family and friends as we've walked. Faces have changed. Mom walks with us in heaven and I'm sure she smiles as she sees our family endure and grow. The kids have gotten older and now bring their friends along, too. Each year we have been more successful than the last in raising funds to help the research advance to the Cure.
What we are doing IS working! Theories are turning into clinical trials, advancements are being made on many fronts, and, the people who live with this disease every day are being given tools to help them lead better, healthier lives. This is not a dream. The scientists (a fairly cautious lot) are encouraged that we WILL find a Cure for our children SOON!
Caitie is ten now…for the first time really starting to understand what it means to her to have diabetes, and, she doesn't like it. She's taking on many of her cares, brave and strong. It breaks my heart. Every time she has to stop, poke her finger…it seems just a bit of her childhood slips away and she's forced into a world no child should have to handle. Every time her blood sugar goes low, and she cries with frustration and confusion—this disease takes a little from each of us. I look around and see friends and schoolmates who are diagnosed and then have to take on this challenge. All of these children, all of these young adults showing so much courage and conviction while taking on a life they never imagined—this is why we Walk. It is working, lives are improving, but, it is NOT ENOUGH. These kids need their childhood back, the children who will be diagnosed need to be saved from even a day of having to deal with life with diabetes. It isn't fair, it isn't right.
But, we can do something about it!!
Won't you join us in helping to find the Cure for Diabetes? It is easy to help~easy to do something that will make an impact on thousands of people! It is incredibly easy to do something to make Caitie's life one that will someday be free of Diabetes. All you have to do is sign up to Walk with us and support our efforts for "Caitlin's Cure". If you'd like to join us, please follow the link provided and register to Walk to Cure Diabetes at the Milwaukee County Zoo with "Caitlin's Cure" on September 18th.
If you are unable to Walk with us, you can still be a part of "Caitlin's Cure" by clicking on the link below.
Please consider donating to "Caitlin's Cure" and supporting JDRF's efforts. Nearly 87¢ of every dollar goes directly to funding the research for the Cure. Your money is carefully spent and tremendous results are happening every day. Every day, we are closer to the Cure. Can't you just imagine the Walk we will take when that day comes? I hope you'll join us that day, too!
Thank you, for all that you've done in the past and for all that you continue to do. We are so grateful to you.
Sincerely,
Sue
Caitie's Captain of Hope
The Link to Join our Walk team and Caitie's Fundraising Page is: http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87702310
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