By Susan Larson
The Fredericksburg Walk to Cure Diabetes is a local labor of love.
“I started the walk, after my daughter Elissa was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D),” said Lisa Taylor. “That very first walk included two families. Eight of us walked in a local battlefield, and we raised $3,000.” In 2014, 600 people participated in the walk and raised just under $70,000.
The 12th annual Fredericksburg Walk to Cure Diabetes is scheduled Sunday, April 26, 2015, in Dixon Park, 1300 Dixon Rd., Fredericksburg. Registration for the 5K begins at 12:30 p.m. The walk begins at 2 p.m., and will be held rain or shine. Participants and spectators are invited to bring a blanket or chairs for a picnic. For more information or to donate in advance, visit JDRF Fredericksburg 2015.
Type 1 diabetes has long been called juvenile diabetes, but that is a misnomer. “Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age and it lasts a lifetime,” said Mary Waller, development coordinator for the Central Virginia Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (TD1) research. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
Waller joined the Herod family recently on News Talk 1230 AM’s “Town Talk” to discuss the disease and the walk.
Listen to the podcast of the radio show.
Eight-year-old Emily told listeners it was hard seeing her sister hurt. Four-year-old Alyse asked everyone to come to the walk “to help the scientists find a cure.”
Parents Eric and Allison shared the challenges a family faces when a member has type 1 diabetes. “You don’t have to do this alone,” Allison said. “The resources provided by JDRF offer comfort and hope.”
“At times I thought about quitting [organizing the walk], but God has a way,” Taylor said. “My second daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 14. So this is what I do to help find a cure and to help those who have gone through what we have passed through already.”
Other Podcasts
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Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity on “Town Talk”
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FoodE on the Radio April 20
CRRL Highlights eReading on “Town Talk”
Fredericksburg Faith Leaders Take Stand for Tolerance and Peace
Skydive Orange Offers Opportunities for Beginners to Advanced
Planning Commission Public Hearing on “Social Service Delivery” Permits
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