Special to Clay Today
MIDDLEBURG – Two Middleburg sisters, Kaylin and Trinity Hoffman, have been named youth ambassadors for the 2011 Walk to Cure Diabetes.
The Walk to Cure Diabetes is the signature event for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) North Florida Chapter.
Kaylin, 10, and Trinity, 7, both live with type 1 diabetes; an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin. Children with type 1 diabetes must take multiple injections of insulin daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump just to survive.
Trinity was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2009 on National Diabetes Awareness Day at age 6 and her sister was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 2. Kaylin is also living with Celiac Disease, which is often time associated with type 1 diabetes.
Despite their ages, the Hoffmann sisters are not new to being activists for JDRF. Kaylin and Trinity have participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes for many years and have inspired local Congressmen to become advocates for type 1 diabetes research. Kaylin has taken part in two studies; one involving the “Navigator,” a continuous glucose monitor that had the ability to read her blood sugar instantly without a finger prick, and the other included a hospital stay. In addition, Trinity is currently taking part in a cognitive research study.
As the 2011 Walk to Cure Diabetes Youth Ambassadors, the Hoffmann sisters will raise awareness about the disease by speaking to other families and corporate leaders at JDRF events, leading their family’s Walk team (Kaylin’s Kure and Trin’s Troopers), and inspiring others to participate in the event.
The sisters will be making a special appearance at the upcoming JDRF Team Captain Kick-Off luncheon, scheduled for Feb. 9 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the UNF University Center.
FCall Lauren Setzer at (904) 739-2101 or email her at LSetzer@jdrf.org for further inforamtion.
