JDRF supporters make run for the roses, cure

Tell us about your organization:

■ Mission: Accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D (type 1 diabetes) and its complications ■ Services provided: We provide newly diagnosed support, a mentor program for those living with T1D and those just diagnosed with T1D, Family Camp, outreach opportunities, Ambassador Program, signature fundraising programs like the Walk and

the Gala, and many more services to the T1D community.

■ Service area: Northwest Arkansas

■ Average number of people served annually: We serve over 5,000 people in the state of Arkansas and the Northwest Arkansas area.

How is your organization’s mission unique? Why do you work for a nonprofit organization? Do you have a personal connection to the mission? If so, what is it? I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of 3. Since my diagnosis, I became involved with JDRF serving as a youth ambassador, Walk team captain, advocate and avid volunteer. When I took the job with JDRF, I knew this is where I was meant to be.

What part of your job fills the most of your time? It really depends on the time of the year! Right now, I am busy planning and finalizing details for our Run for the Roses Hope Gala on May 5. In the summer, I focus on planning our Family Diabetes Camp that we host at Camp War Eagle and our JDRF One Walk in Fayetteville in the fall.

What have you learned on the job that you didn’t expect? Believe it or not, I learned to accept my diagnosis with T1D. Working with all of these kids and individuals has given me an even greater outlook on my life with T1D. T1D is a hard disease to manage, and every person with T1D will struggle with it at some point in their life, and I was struggling with it before I took this job. Most people won’t look at having a chronic disease as a blessing, but I do now, and it is because of JDRF — I have seen the work that we are doing and the strides we are making in T1D management, and I have so much HOPE and excitement for the future and I’m honored to play a small role in that coming to fruition.

What challenges face your organization? I would say the biggest challenges that we face are the misunderstanding about T1D. Most people don’t realize that there is more than one type of diabetes. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it, and you will never outgrow it. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance these insulin doses with your eating and activity throughout the day and night. However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Even with the most vigilant disease management, a significant portion of your day will be spent with either high or low blood-sugar levels. That’s why we are so passionate about delivering better therapies to all of us living with T1D, and one day, cure the disease all together.

Are there volunteer opportunities in your organization? What are they? Yes, we always have volunteer needs, especially around all of the events we offer! If anyone is interested in volunteering, they can call me at the office at (479) 443-9190 or email me at lsivewright@jdrf.org, and I would be happy to get them signed up to volunteer for whatever they are interested in.

What upcoming fundraisers and/or other events does your organization have planned? Our Gala, May 5; Family Diabetes Camp, Aug. 17-19; JDRF One Walk, Fayetteville, Oct. 13.

Sivewright