Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Residents Walk To Cure Diabetes
FARMINGTON — Madison Spence, a new student at Prairie Grove High School, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes as a young child. At 15, she and her family participated for the first time in a walk to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
They walked in the ninth annual Farmington Walk to Cure Diabetes, held Sept. 7 at the vacant lot next to Marvin’s IGA.
“I think it’s wonderful,” said Madison’s mother, Lisa Spence. The family moved to Prairie Grove last spring from Star City. “It’s great for the community and it makes people more aware of juvenile diabetes.”
Type 1 diabetes is a lot different than Type 2 diabetes. Spence pointed out that having Type 1 diabetes is a “complete lifestyle.” Many things can no longer be taken for granted, she added.
“The whole family is involved and you always have to be prepared,” Spence said. “Things you take for granted such as eating birthday cake when you want to, or your child going to a sleepover are things you now have to think about.”
At 4 years-old, Madison Spence was drinking a lot of water and having to go to the bathroom all the time. Her parents took her to the doctor. She was sent to Arkansas Children’s Hospital where her family spent three days learning how to manage and live with the disease.
Today, Madison is a cheerleader at Prairie Grove High and she gives herself her own shots, at least four shots each day. She said she is careful not to take in too much sugar and watches her carbohydrates.
The Spence family, which includes Madison’s father and older sister, walked along with about 600 other people in the Farmington Walk To Cure Diabetes.
The walk features the Hometown Team of Oakley Bailey and Derek Winkle, who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as 9-year-old children. Today, both are 23 years-old and Winkle said he is not surprised that the Farmington Walk to Cure will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year.
“I can believe it because we have an awesome community,” Winkle said. “I also want to compliment our parents because they are the driving force behind this.”
The two families participated in their first Walk to Cure in Tulsa 13 years ago. They walked in the Fayetteville event for several years. As their walking group grew, the families decided to organize a Farmington walk.
During the past 13 years, thousands of people have walked with the Baileys and Winkles and they have raised more than $565,000 for the research foundation. This year’s walk brought in almost $15,000 from donations, a silent auction and a raffle.
Winkle said research through the foundation is helping him manage his disease.
He just received a new wireless, tubeless insulin pump called an OmniPod. The foundation is conducting trials on an artificial pancreas and if this becomes a reality in the future, Winkle said he “definitely” will consider it.
Winkle recently met with Congressman Steve Womack to discuss continued research funding for the juvenile diabetes foundation. The goal is to find a cure for juvenile diabetes and “knock it out early,” Winkle said. Many people with Type 1 diabetes develop other health problems later in life because of the disease.
“If we can cure it, there won’t be the other complications later in life,” Winkle said.
Ellen Gaconnier, a member of the grassroots leadership team for JDRF, said the organization is one of the most highly respected groups in Washington, D.C. According to the JDRF website, the organization spent more than $110 million on research funding in 2012. The foundation funded research projects in 17 countries last year and is currently funding more than 50 human clinical trials.
The Baileys and Winkles are already making plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Farmington Walk to Cure in 2014. They are asking participants to pledge to ask 10 people to give $ 10 for a total donation of $100 per walker. A banner was set up at the walk on Sept. 7 and many people were already signing the banner and pledging to participate next year.