Here’s why these families are In to End Diabetes
July 17, 2020
At JDRF our mission is to find a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications through the support of research. Every dollar we are able to direct toward this critical research comes from our donors. Some of them have joined our exclusive giving club “In To End Diabetes” by committing to a monthly donation. With their ongoing generosity and dedication to ending T1D, monthly donors are accelerating the pace of research for this invasive, and demanding disease which affects over 300,000 Canadians – children and adults alike. This month, we wanted to recognize some of our amazing monthly donors and thank them for their support. Their stories will help you understand why they’re In to End Diabetes. Check them out below.
Shelagh. Calgary, AB.
Shelagh’s nine-year-old son Graham was diagnosed with T1D two years ago. After feeling unwell for some time, he was eventually given an official diagnosis and now remains resilient as ever – bearing a tough exterior while rocking his ‘I have diabetes and I’m allowed to have candy’ t-shirt.
“I worry about him all the time,” said Shelagh, who says she’d do anything to take this 24/hour disease away from him and believes that nothing in his life should be restricted because of T1D.
Being a monthly donor for Shelagh means helping kids make this disease livable and manageable, and eventually turning type one into type none. She says aside from the research JDRF avidly funds, JDRF events also keep her son excited, and hopeful.
“The first gala we ever went to was a blast,” she said. “As we were leaving [Graham] turned to us and said ‘See? I told you diabetes can be fun!’”
Jill. Halifax, NS.
Watching her niece deal with the stressors that came with her T1D diagnosis back in 2016 was tough for Jill. Observing how she manages her disease every day, she says, is both inspiring and heartbreaking, and served as a trigger point for Jill to give back in any way that she could.
“I heard of JDRF through the radio and thought I’d find a way to get involved.” Jill added that monthly donations provide her with the opportunity to regularly fund T1D research for people like her niece.
Jill says she wants to get to a place where her niece could go to bed at night, not having to worry about managing a 24/hour disease. Through monthly donations, she hopes to one day help find a cure for her, and give her a life free of worry.
“JDRF is an international organization – [they’re] all over and working hard to help people who live with type 1…I’ll do anything I can to make her life a little simpler.”
Michelle. Regina, SK.
Several years ago, Michelle used to spend most of her days in the air. She flew as a commercial pilot until she began to feel unwell. It wasn’t until she had an aviation medical examination done that she discovered she was living with type 1 diabetes. 
As a result, Michelle was forced to change careers, and now works as an engineer.
“I almost don’t remember life before diabetes,” she said, adding how much of the day she spends thinking about, managing and monitoring her diabetes.
She decided that JDRF was an organization she wanted to give back to, and on top of being a monthly donor, she now volunteers. “JDRF does such important work…having a sense of community is a huge, and just normalizing the physical and mental side of type 1 is something I want to help with – supporting families and people [with T1D] the best I can.”
Giles. Toronto, ON.
Giles describes his fourteen-year-old son as the ‘poster child for T1D.’
Between school and AA hockey, he maintains stellar blood glucose levels and continues to adapt to the ever-evolving diabetes technology, rocking his pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on and off the ice.
“He doesn’t really like doing T1D-specific things,” says Giles, “He likes playing regular sports, and doesn’t want to be defined by [his disease].”
The family has been part of JDRF’s monthly giving program for yearsand while they are lucky to have coverage for their son’s diabetes equipment, Giles recognizes other families aren’t. “Everyone should have access to that kind of technology…we know JDRF is advocating for that.”
“This is a disease that can be cured, and we will give as much as we possibly can to help achieve that.”
Feeling inspired by these amazing monthly donors? You can also join the movement to help drive diabetes research forward. Join us today and tell the world that you are In to End Diabetes.
Join us today and tell the world that you are In to End Diabetes.Become a monthly donor by September 15 and thanks to a generous family from Vancouver, your first 6 gifts will be doubled!*
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