Walk to Cure Diabetes at Calf Pasture Beach

The Fairfield County Chapter of the JDRF is sponsoring the Walk to Cure Diabetes, on Sunday, October 6 at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk.

Countless walkers representing local businesses, families, schools, and other organizations are expected to participate in Fairfield County’s annual walk. The chapter has set a fundraising goal of more than $450,000, which will help fund research toward progressively removing the impact of type 1 diabetes (T1D) until it is no longer a threat to people with the disease and their families.

The Walk is expected to draw an enthusiastic crowd of all ages, driven to support a great cause while enjoying food, fun, and entertainment. On-site registration for this 3 mile walk begins at 8:30a.m. at Calf Pasture Beach.

Among the participating walkers are this year’s Honored Family, the Carpenters of New Canaan and their walk team, Carpenter Crew for a Cure. 

The Carpenters’ personal involvement with the JDRF Fairfield County Walk began in 2004, when their son Bobby was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 4.  It changed their lives, as they had to quickly learn how to manage this disease, which includes round the clock blood sugar checks, frequent insulin shots and learning how to count carbohydrates. 

The Carpenters immediately became involved with the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes to show their children that, not only their family, but many people, including kids just like them, are working hard to find a cure for this disease.   The Walk is a very inspirational way to get involved, and is a great way to meet other families also affected by type 1 diabetes.  That first year, their Walk team was called "Bobby's Buddies."  However, two years later, they changed the name of their Walk team to "Carpenter Crew for a Cure".  The reason --  Isabelle, Bobby’s younger sister, became insulin dependent  with type 1 diabetes, also at the age of 4. 

This will be the 10th year that the Carpenters have been involved with the JDRF Fairfield County Walk.  For more information or to support the Carpenter Crew, please use this link to the JDRF:  

More than 900,000 people participate in more than 200 Walks each year in the United States. Since 1992, the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes has raised more than $1 billion for research toward progressively removing the burden of T1D. To register for the walk or to organize a team, go to the JDRF Walk to Cure home page. 

For more information, please visit http://fairfieldcounty.jdrf.org/ or call Lu Rosa at 203-854-0658.

About Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it. People with T1D must currently monitor their blood-sugar levels and administer insulin via shots or an insulin pump, multiple times every day.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.

As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. In 2012 alone, JDRF provided more than $110 million to T1D research. More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. In 2012 Forbes magazine named JDRF one of its five All-Star charities, citing the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness.