STUDENT ATTENDS CHILDREN’S CONGRESS
Evan Clark urges cure for Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes
Evan Clark, 15, who attends Sandia Prep and is an advocate in the fight to eliminate Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes, was one of 164 delegates chosen from 1,300 applicants.
Sandia Prep student Evan Clark, 15, is getting some valuable experience this year as an advocate in the fight to eliminate Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and as New Mexico’s ongoing delegate to JDRF 2017 Children’s Congress.
This past summer, he was one of 164 delegates — picked out of 1,300 applicants — to the Children’s Congress with a primary task of asking their members of the U.S. Congress to renew the Special Diabetes Program, currently funded at $150 million annually.
The young delegates met with their U.S. representatives and senators including Clark meeting and speaking with U.S. Sens. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and the offices of Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan-Grisham, D-N.M.
“My favorite day in Washington D.C. as a Child of Congress was the Town Hall Meeting forum. It was interesting to hear how professional athletes, actors and news anchors manage the day-to-day difficulties of having Type 1,” Evan told the Journal in an email. “Getting to talk to and take photos with each famous person after the town hall meeting made it even better.” he said. “My friends back in New Mexico couldn’t believe I was hanging out with some of their favorite Indy race car drivers, hockey and baseball players!”
The celebrities included former “Law & Order” actress Annie Parisse, former Michigan State linebacker Brandon Denison, New York Mets outfielder Cory Vaughn, Indy race car driver Charlie Kimball and Arizona Coyotes hockey player Max Domi.
Clark has also been a frequent speaker at JDRF events, such as the walk, the gala, Type 1 Nation, and various fund raising events including those in New Mexico.
The delegates spent an entire day on Capitol Hill, including appearing before a hearing before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.
In front of Chairmwoman Susan Collins, R-Me., ranking member Bob Casey, D-Penn., Children’s Congress Chairwoman Angie Platt, who was accompanied by her son, delegate Jonathan Platt and other delegates, who spoke about how lives have been improved thanks to research and the need for Congress to continue the momentum.
“We need you and your Senate colleagues to renew the SDP for another three years so researchers can continue their great work,”said Platt. “This disease doesn’t stop, so neither can we.”
The SDP was not renewed by its technical deadline of Sept. 30 but organization officials said Congressional leadership in both chambers has said it “will get done.”
Delegates also argued about the importance of ensuring their organization’s key principles for healthcare reform, and the need for robust annual funding for the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Evan Clark’s web page on the Children’s Congress website can be found at cc.jdrf.org/delegates/ evan-nm.
JDRF is the leading organization funding type 1 diabetes research.