The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is a leading funder and advocate for type 1 diabetes research. According to their website, it is their mission to “find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.”
One way that JDRF accomplishes its goals is through fundraising events, like the upcoming 2011 Tee Up for a Cure Golf Tournament. Jason Driscoll, a Branford resident and Golf Chairman of the foundation, is organizing this event.
Driscoll started volunteering at JDRF when his daughter, Lauren–who was five years old at the time–was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. A friend of his explained that Driscoll works tirelessly to raise awareness and funds for JDRF.
Driscoll is the sort of father who gets the wheels of a program like JDRF turning in the first place, motivated by his love for his daughter in search for the cure. He says of Lauren: “Although my daughter [has to] give herself hundreds of finger sticks each month and give herself insulin injections through a diabetes pump, she is a beautiful, smart, talented young lady. Her mom and I could not be prouder!”
When you combine that same pride with a golf club you get an unlikely, but very powerful weapon. This is how Driscoll arms himself and others in the war against diabetes: by bringing the elements of fun and happiness to what might otherwise be a desolate battlefield.
JDRF explains that “type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and can be fatal.” Those afflicted must constantly check their blood sugar and receive multiple daily injections of insulin or use a pump. These measures are not cures, nor do they prevent all the complications that arise from type 1 diabetes: blindness, kidney failure, stroke, amputation, and heart disease–to name a few.
While JDRF seeks to find the cure, they also try to help improve the lives of those suffering from type 1 diabetes by supporting research to develop products that help them live healthier lives and lessen the risk of developing these complications. It was founded by the parents of children afflicted with diabetes in 1970, and has awarded over 1.5 billion dollars to diabetes research and research related education since then. Greater than 80 percent of their expenses are made in direct support for research.
The tournament will cost $175 per person, and included 18 holes of golf at the Yale Golf Course and a cart. This is a deal in and of itself, as it typically costs fifty-dollars more for a round at Yale, but the admission fee also includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the opportunity to win prizes, which will be raffled off.
Whether or not to attend is clearly a no-brainer for a golfer, but there are reasons to become involved even if you plan to leave the clubs at home. Signature Auctions of New York will sponsor a sports auction with hand signed memorabilia. There will also be raffles and prizes for attendees.
Supportes of the event include First Niagara Bank, Phoenix Press, Inc., The Pawson Group of Branford, and The Community Foundation.
To learn more on how you can become involved, contact Driscoll at jdriscoll@phoenixpressinc.com and be sure to visit the JDRF website. In the event you are unable to attend, JDRF has a walking event to raise funds in the fall.
The past week of rainy weather ought to yield a beautiful looking course on June 14, so grab your clubs, lace your cleats, and take advantage of this rare opportunity to let your stroke save lives.
