I'll be taking part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes, along with a half-million other walkers across the country. Our goal: To raise $80 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.

Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating, often deadly disease that affects millions of people--a large and growing percentage of them children.

Many people think type 1 diabetes can be controlled by insulin. While insulin DOES keep people with type 1 diabetes alive, it is NOT a cure. Aside from the daily challenges of living with type 1 diabetes--and there are many--the severe, often fatal complications caused by type 1 diabetes include retinopathy (an eye disorder which can lead to blindness); neuropathy (nerve damage, which can lead to loss of limbs); nephropathy (kidney disease); and cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and hypertension, or high blood pressure).

All of that's the bad news... and yes, it's pretty bad.

The good news, though, is that a cure for type 1 diabetes IS within reach. For the first time, scientists are predicting that we CAN expect to see a cure for type 1 diabetes well within our lifetime!

That's why I'm writing to you. Now more than ever, EACH of us can be a part of bringing about a cure. EACH of us CAN make a real difference.

Won't you please give to JDRF as generously as you're able?

Together, we CAN make the cure a reality.

Thank you,

Irene "Krissy"  De Jesus

Please visit my Walk Web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal:

http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=85968279