Type I diabetes, a genetic or virus-related disease, affects mostly children and young adults, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation reports about 30,000 Type I cases in children and adults each year in the U.S.
“For me, it’s the fear of the unknown and how their own lives are going to be affected,” Wade said. “There is the struggle of keeping their blood sugars in range 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s a constant battle fighting the high and low blood sugars. You wish that it was you who could go through that instead, and it just leaves you feeling helpless.”
Wade and others dealing with Type I, or juvenile onset, diabetes will come together July 30 for a Walk to Cure Diabetes event, which raised more than $100 million in 2010 at different sites across the country. This year, local organizers hope to bring in at least $20,000.
Karen Morris, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation development coordinator for north Alabama, said Alabama has a 3 to 1 ratio of Type 1 diabetes cases compared to Tennessee. Since January, she said seven Type I cases have been reported in the area, with two in the Shoals.
The walk, which Wade said will become an annual event, is designed to bring awareness to the disease and establish relationships among families and friends affected by Type I diabetes.
“The more important goal is for Type I families to connect,” Morris said. “It is my goal to make sure that no newly diagnosed family out there feels like they’re alone.”
Eddie Hammond, who helped to organize the walk, has a son, Noah Lane, in second grade who has Type I diabetes. He hopes the Walk to Cure will bring in more funding to cure his son’s disease.
“These kids that live with this disease have a completely different childhood than people realize,” he said. “It’s a horrible disease that the kids and entire family have to live with.”
People interested in the walk can participate as individuals or within a team. Light breakfast foods and children’s activities will be available after the walk.
Debra Griffin, nurse coordinator with the Alabama Department of Public Health, said diabetes walks benefit the entire community by educating others about the disease.
“Walks like this are to increase awareness and motivate individuals for the cause to continue to walk,” she said. “Walking helps reduce the complications (of diabetes). By getting out there and walking, more and more people begin to make the connection.”
Lucy Berry can be reached at lucy.berry@TimesDaily.com.
