The Power of Good Will
I've been involved in various ways with numerous nonprofits, and it's always a rewarding experience. For each of us there is a cause close to our hearts and interests, whether it's a health related charity, a community focused organization, or an arts group that inspires and speaks to us.
One worthy organization is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research. This is not the much more common type 2 we hear so much about in the news. Juvenile diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood, with no clear cause and no cure. It requires daily insulin injections and can lead to numerous life-threatening complications.
Several years ago I joined my first Walk to Cure Diabetes, JDRF's annual fundraiser. Supporters gathered at the Mall of America to walk, raise money, learn about the latest research, and support their family and friends living with diabetes. The gathering of thousands of hopeful people, all in pursuit of a common goal, was a surprising and heart-moving experience.
A real cure is getting closer, so I will join 18,000 others again this year to do my part and help raise $2 million for research. Living with diabetes isn't easy, but helping find a cure is something we can all do.
To learn more about diabetes, JDRF, the event, or to support me in this cause, visit www.jdrf.org.
— Brian Columbus, diagnosed in 1985