Local diabetes center encouraging kids with Type 1 to apply for trip to DC
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IDAHO FALLS — A local diabetes center is standing behind a national nonprofit organization in its efforts to find young applicants for a trip to meet members of Congress.
Kids ages 4 to 17 with Type 1 diabetes will stand as representatives for JDRF — formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — at its annual Children’s Congress held in Washington.
Rocky Mountain Diabetes and Osteoporosis Center is encouraging kids from east Idaho to apply for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and to stand as a representative for the Gem State. Children and their parents will have the chance to share how diabetes has affected their lives and educate members of Congress on the importance of continuing to fund diabetes research.
“JDRF envisions a world where we have no diabetes anymore,” Becky Sulik Registered dietician and certified diabetes education at Rocky Mountain Diabetes says.
Joshua Smith, a pediatric endocrinologist with Rocky Mountain Diabetes, is a former member of an Austin chapter of the JDRF board.
“They are the world premier organization for children (and adults) with Type 1 diabetes,” he says. “They do a lot of advocacy they really work hard on representation in Washington, lobbying Congress to always fund diabetes care in kids.”
He says Idaho’s voice needs to be heard in Washington. Smith says although diabetes treatments have improved over the years, it continues to get more costly.
“I think that the burden of diabetes within Idaho, especially within Type 1, is probably a little bit higher than other places, and we need more funding, we need more coverage for diabetes supplies,” Smith says.
Sulik says funding for research will always be vital, especially for kids who struggle with this life-long disease.
“We’re grateful for all the treatments we have for Type 1 diabetes, we have insulin, which is a life-saving therapy… but it’s still very daunting. It still requires a lot of effort and work, blood sugar checking, giving injections, or pumping insulin and it never goes away, you never have a break from it,” Sulik says.
Mills Halpin, whose son is a patient at Rocky Mountain Diabetes, says her son Cash attended the Children’s Congress last year. Haplin says the 7-year-old had a life-changing experience.
“This was the first JDRF event — most of these other kids had events all year long,” Halpin says. “It was a real eye-opener to us and definitely to Cash on how many children live with this and what you can gain from being around one another.”
The Halpins, of Jackson, Wyoming, says Cash was one of the youngest children at the event.
“He held his own and answered all the questions and wasn’t shy… He showed everyone his pump. It was good for him and it was good for us,” Halpin says.
She says they had three days of conferences and on the last day they went to Capitol Hill and met with their senators and representatives. She says the kids also met celebrities and professional athletes who have Type 1 diabetes.
“All these people that were very successful in their chosen paths of life that all lived with Type 1, and they sat in a panel, and kids were able to ask them questions,” Halpin says.
To find out more information about how to apply for the JDRF Children’s Congress go to Rocky Mountain Diabetes website.
“We’re just lobbying them to vote to continue funding for the special diabetes package to provide millions of dollars, and to research for better treatment and hopefully a cure,” Halpin says. “It’s little kids living with a forever disease — it’s worth the cost of funding to find a cure.”
