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PEARL RIVER — Local residents hope to raise more than a quarter million dollars Sunday in a fundraising event for the Northern New Jersey and Rockland County Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
This year’s Walk to Cure Diabetes is being held on the grounds of the Pfizer company on North Middletown Road in Pearl River. It will include entertainment, games, lunch and refreshments along with the main event, the 5K walk.
Many Rockland families are participating in the event, including the Hughes family of New City. Their daughter, Analeigh, 13, was diagnosed with the disease at age 5.
Analeigh now helps other families who are newly diagnosed and maintains a very active lifestyle — swimming, ice skating and participating in community service organizations in her town.
The Felix Festa Middle School student, along with other members of her neighborhood, will be leading the 50-person “Analeigh Katie’s Awesome Krew.” They will walk to raise money and awareness for JDRF’s mission to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with Type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke and amputation.
Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with Type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.5 billion to diabetes research, including $107 million last year.
The local chapter of the organization hopes to raise $253,000 at Sunday’s event.
