Oh the irony!

Today we had our second bake sale benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Ride to Cure Diabetes and I'm happy to say it was a HUGE success!  Between our two JDRF Bake Sales we have raised $1,285...that's a LOT of cookies, cakes, pies and other baked goods, but as I told someone today, if you're going to eat crap you might as well eat crap for a cause!  The irony of raising money for diabetes research by selling food with high sugar and high carb content is not lost on me.

One of the greatest joys of these bake sales is meeting other people who have family members living with diabetes. 

Even though our family has people with Type 1 (my daughter) and Type 2 (my grandfather, grandmother, father -all now deceased- two of my brothers, and my best friend) it's still nice to meet others in the diabetic community and connect. The best part is watching them live...really LIVE...not letting this disease stop them from pursuing their dreams. 

These people inspire me to continue fundraising, educating and advocating, because realizing their dreams is so much harder with diabetes. My goal in life, my #1 priority, is to raise money to fund the cure or at the very least come up with better medications and treatment options for everyone living with diabetes, especially my daughter. 

Last week my dear friend died due to complications of T1 diabetes. I hear so many stories of people young and old who lost their lives due to this disease, I've seen my daughter close to death, and now I watch my beloved 5 year old granddaughter who has been tested and has the markers for diabetes and I say ENOUGH. 

I want to find a cure for this disease BEFORE it is triggered in Bella or a million other unsuspecting children's lives are irrevocable changed forever. I want to find a cure for my friend's children, Liam and Netty, who I love with all my heart. I want to honor the memory of all the children who were found dead in bed or died because their families, and even their doctors and school nurses failed to see the symptoms of diabetes prior to their tragic deaths. I want to continue the fight on behalf of every mother and father  who is pulled into the hallway of a hospital emergency room and told their child has diabetes. 

So the fight continues but make no mistake, a cure is out there and we WILL be the generation that finds it!