To complete the application online, or to download a hardcopy to submit through the mail, please visit http://bit.ly/CC11App.

Held in odd-numbered years since its inception in 1999, Children’s Congress brings more than 150 children with type 1 diabetes and their families to Washington, D.C. Children’s Congress participants represent all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They meet with Members of Congress and other key federal decision-makers to help educate them about the critical need for federal funding for type 1 diabetes research. Children’s Congress participants represent all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Applicants must be between the ages of 4 and 17 and have type 1 diabetes. All applications must be received by JDRF by 5pm EDT on Monday, October 4, 2010. You can view a list of frequently asked questions regarding the application process by clicking here.

Children’s Congress inspires lawmakers to remember the children who live with type 1 diabetes when making decisions about medical research and voting on other important federal issues relating to diabetes. Our children’s stories, told in their own words, are more powerful than almost any other type of legislator education.

To learn more about Children’s Congress 2011 and to complete the application process, visit the Children’s Congress website at http://cc.jdrf.org or email JDRF at childrenscongress@jdrf.org.

Thanks for all you!

JDRF’s Children’s Congress 2011

This year marks the 40th anniversary of JDRF’s founding. While we fully acknowledge that a celebration is not in order—after all, we have not yet accomplished our mission of finding a cure for type 1 diabetes—we do believe it is entirely appropriate to acknowledge the research progress JDRF has made toward better treatments and a cure, and the people who have enabled us to come so far.

This issue of Legacy includes stories that examine where we’ve been over the past four decades and where we’re going. You’ll see a timeline of our greatest successes, and you’ll find information about our latest work. View the full issue

The following is from a dLife story:

Kris Freeman may have won the 30K cross-country race at the U.S. National Championships in Anchorage, Alaska last month – had he not been forced to stop and test his blood sugar late in the race. Freeman came in second.

***

Freeman, who wears an OmniPod, blogs about the difficulties of competing with type 1 diabetes.

“I get nervous before a race and release sugar just like everyone else. Unfortunately my regulatory system is broken and I have to give myself the appropriate amount of insulin. This is where things get tricky. How nervous I am affects how much sugar I release into my body. More nerves equal more glucose. The difficult part is there is no real way to monitor how nervous I am.”

read more…

You can watch a recent interview with Kris:

Learn more about effective coping skills for:

• Living with Diabetes — the challenges facing children and families
• Communicating effectively with spouses, children and extended family members
• What to ask, and listen for, when speaking to physicians and healthcare providers
• Recognizing and addressing the needs of your child’s siblings
• Getting your teenager to be responsible about taking care of their diabetes

Presenter: Joe Solowiejczyk, RN, MSW, CDE – Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute
Location: Alliant Energy Center, Madison
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
6:30 p.m. – Reception
7:00 p.m. – Program
RSVP: Gena Van Kirk, Animas: 608-397-7756 or gvankirk@its.jnj.com
JDRF Western Wisconsin Chapter: 608-833-2873 or westernwi@jdrf.org

Read more, download the It’s a Family Affair! flyer.

You

You can vote by going to www.nfl.com/pepsirefresh and clicking on Mark Sanchez, or by texting “MARK” to PEPSI (73774) — standard text messaging rates and fees may apply.

Mark Sanchez:

“I want to help build awareness about the early signs of juvenile diabetes. My grant will support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to create educational programs that will help lead to early detection and prompt treatments.”

Voting ends February 5, 2010.

On October 17, 2009 Mikey Teutul from the TLC’s hit reality series American Chopper headed to Death Valley, CA to participate in the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes.

His participation in the Ride was filmed on location and will be featured in the February 4th episode of TLC’s “American Chopper”.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this great way to raise awareness and funds for type 1 diabetes research,” said Mikey Teutel, the youngest of the Teutel family whose family

business, Orange County Choppers, is the basis for the show. Teutel, who had a friend with type 1 diabetes, was hoping to accomplish riding 36 miles.

“Although Mikey hoped to ride 36 miles in Death Valley, I believe he exceeded his ultimate goal…raising awareness for type 1 diabetes research,” said

Lewis Runnion, JDRF International Board Member and Teutel’s personal coach.

Tune in to American Chopper on TLC February 4th at 9/8ct to see if Mikey accomplished accomplished his goal as he joined more than 200 JDRF cyclists riding to cure diabetes!

Read more: JDRF American Chopper.

As a reminder

Be sure to join JDRF for the live video event at noon EST. The program is scheduled to last 1 hour. The video will be streamed through our Promise Campaign blog. You can access it by clicking this link. Aaron will start by providing answers to as many of your questions as he can.  We’ll be streaming our video with the help of Ustream. Ustream’s product allows participants to ask questions over the course of Aaron’s presentation. So, time permitting, Aaron will respond to those as well.

To commemorate the occasion, the Ford/JDRF Team created this adorable plush bear sporting a leather jacket emblazoned with the official Mustang 45th Anniversary logo.

More than $34,000 was raised for JDRF through the sale of these bears!

Ford is excited to offer you the chance to purchase this keepsake item as another way to support JDRF.

Purchase your 45th Anniversary Ford Mustang Mascot Bear now.

Bears sell for $10 each and 100% of proceeds benefit JDRF!

On Sale Feb. 1- March 31

Ford Motor Company has supported JDRF for more than 20 years, ranking as JDRF’s #1 corporate sponsor for the past eight years. Ford has contributed over $30 million since the inception of the employee-driven team known as the Ford Global Walk Team.

On Tuesday, February 9th, Boston’s the Gourmet Pizza and Sports Bar – Greenway Station is donating 10% of all food sales to JDRF. Please take your co-workers to lunch or make it a family night out, or order in!”

For Boston’s Restaurant’s in Wisconsin click here.

A study at UW Hospital and others across the country is testing an experimental treatment for Type 1 diabetes: giving adult stem cells to people recently diagnosed in hopes of stopping the progression of the disease.
***
John Markwardt, a UW-Madison student, became the first person in Wisconsin to enroll in the national study Thursday, when he received an infusion at UW Hospital. A third of participants receive a placebo, and Markwardt doesn’t know if he got a fake treatment or a real one. But the 20-year-old from Wausau is hopeful the procedure will help. “I could become totally independent or less dependent on insulin,” he said.

Markwardt learned he had diabetes in March, after his vision become blurry and he had to urinate frequently. Driving home with friends from a spring break trip to Florida, he had to make an unusual number of bathroom stops.