Tis that time of year...

It has been just over a year - April 27, 2007 since our family physician called our home at 8pm and said “Your son, Tomas, has Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes. He needs to go to the hospital now.”

Tomas has made a lot of progress in this past year; he's changed to a newly-developed insulin, he's learned how to check his own blood sugar levels and his math has improved as he counts the carbohydrates (sugar) of the food he eats. But at least once a month he still asks us "when is he going to be cured". And at this point we still have to tell him, there isn't a cure.

We are very proud of Tomas. He never complains or whines even when faced with:

• 6 – 8 finger pokes each day - including in the middle of each night,
• life-saving insulin needles 3 – 4 times a day,
• measuring, weighing, and counting every piece of food that he eats,
• having to explain to his friends that he can’t eat the same snack as them,
• 2 – 3 doctor or diabetes clinic appointments every month,
• the fear of life-threatening complications including death and,
• constant vigilance to the ups and downs of diabetes.

We are kindly asking for your pledge donations as we prepare for the Victoria JDRF Walk to Cure diabetes on June 8, 2008. Please follow this secure link to support our team (Team Turbo Tomas) by credit card donation (earn air miles/points – a win win! situation) prior to our walk date.

https://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=walk.pledge&participant_id=2F532ACE-C8F4-0165-F6A9846643F627E0&lang=E

A tax receipt will be immediately sent to your email address (check your junk mail if it doesn't show up). Or you can contact either Todd or Carmen to pledge by cash or cheque.

Tomas continues to play hockey, tramp around the park with his younger sister pretending to be pirates in search of treasure, race Hot Wheels™ cars with his dad, and beat his mom at Wii. But let’s give him back his freedom, take away the life-threatening complications and find a cure.

The money that people like you have donated in the past has helped to make great advancement in diabetes research. There are new insulins (like the one Tomas has switched to that is better and more effective). Researchers are even working toward regenerating beta cells in the pancreas to reverse diabetes - the cures are close!

What a difference a year makes – last year we were scared and overwhelmed – this year I am happy to be the Family Teams Chair for the Victoria 2008 JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes; We know that every step that we take and every dollar raised is helping to find a cure in Tomas’ lifetime. It doesn’t matter if the contribution is $1 or $1,000 it all goes to help our children in the quest to find a cure.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful donation,
Carmen, Todd, Tomas, and Toria

[JDRF funds are managed with extreme efficiency. In fact, JDRF has received accolades and an "A" rating for the eight year in a row from internation rating organizations as well as Forbes Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. 85% of each dollar expended goes to support research and education related to research.]