JDRF of The Ozarks

Vote For Ivie to Meet Nick Jonas!

Who wouldn't want to meet Nick Jonas?! 

Ivie Macy from Ava, MO was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last year is beating her diabetes by writing about her experiences of living with the disease.  She encourages other type 1 diabetics to score a simple win of beating the disease with staying positive. 

This amazing 12 year old has submitted a video to Nick Jonas' web site and has been selected as one of the finalists to meet the superstar, but she can't win if you don't vote.  Go to the web site and select Ivie's video and vote.  You can only vote once a day and the contest is up next Friday (July 31, 2009).  So get your friends and family to support the Ozarks' own Ivie Macy to meet Nick Jonas by forwarding the link to your e-mail lists.

Parents of Diabetic Children Support Group Meeting

Thursday, July 23, 2009 7:00 pm

In the Frisco Room at The Library Station

2535 N. Kansas Expressway
Springfield, MO

Host: Lesley Hayter

Light refreshments provided.  Join us as we discuss the everything from working with schools and nurses, creating 504 plans, vacation and traveling with diabetes, treating low blood sugar levels, handling sick days and many other concerns of dealing with a child who has type 1 diabetes.  Also, find out more about becoming a JDRF Mentor to assist other families needing support.

Join the meetup group by clicking here or send an e-mail to jdrfozarkswalk1@jdrf.org to RSVP.

$25,000 Raised!

Springfield's first annual JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes hosted over 500 people and raised $25,000 for type 1 diabetes research!  It was an outstanding day on May 30, 2009 and we'd like to thank all of our vendors, walkers, supporters and definitely our volunteers.  We couldn't have pulled it off without you!

 

Click on the picture to see more photos from the walk. 

Walk Day Countdown - 34 Days!

The days are counting down to Springfield, MO's first JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes to be held on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 10:00am.  It's not too late to register your walk team and raise money for type 1 diabetes research.  We're still not sure what to expect, but we seem to be getting a huge response and have already raised close to $8,000 just in online donations!

My wonderful JDRF volunteers and I have been cranking away at planning the walk.  We are working on everything from vendor and food tents, to bounce houses for the kids, signs, balloons, tables, chairs, golf carts, stage and sound equipment, check-in and registration, etc etc.  It's been a lot of fun and it feels good to have such an overwhelming support.  We are still looking for volunteers, so if you are interested, please send an e-mail to jdrfozarkswalk1 [at] jdrf [dot] org.  (Obviously the e-mail is written out in code like that to avoid those spammy robots).

In addition to the numerous walk teams that have already registered, we also have several sponsors and vendors that will be attending our walk as table vendors loaded with diabetes related information. Sponsors like Insulet Omnipod, Dexcom CGMS, Medtronic, certified diabetes educators, and several more still in the works.  This is going to be an exciting event at Jordan Valley/Founders Park in downtown Springfield, so don't miss out!

Saturday, May 30, 2009
10:00am - Registration open at 9:00am
Jordan Valley/Founders Park
635 E. Trafficway
Springfield, MO
Register for FREE at http://walk.jdrf.org 

The First Annual Walk To Cure Diabetes Is May 30th!

May 30, 2009 at 10:00 am
check-in and festivities begin at 9:00am
Founders Park/Jordan Valley Area in Downtown Springfield

Start your walk team and register the family!

Looking For A Sponsor

We are on a roll in planning the first annual Walk For A Cure in Springfield, MO.  It is scheduled for May 30, 2009 at Founders Park in Springfield and we are now seeking sponsors for our group.  If you know of anyone who may fill the role of sponsoring our first walk for juvenile diabetes, then please contact Jessica Hickok by sending an e-mail.

JDRF Launches Juvenation Social Networking Site for Type 1 Diabetics

Social networking is everywhere.  Chances are you have heard of Facebook or MySpace, but JDRF has taken it one step further with their own social networking site specifically for type 1 diabetics. 

Although, the site is originally geared for 15-19 year old type 1 diabetics, I am a social networking junkie so therefore I had to check it out.  Funny how most of the people I ran into were young adults around my same age.  

Nonetheless, it is a great site for blogs, media uploads, forums and groups for people that deal with the same thing every day.  So head on over to Juvenation.org and check it out.

World Diabetes Day

Did you wake up and and check your blood sugar today?  I did. As well as 246 million people worldwide.

How in the world can you not feel the desperate need for a cure for this disease that affects so many of us?  This epidemic has 246 million people dealing with the daily injections, blood sugar tests, doctor appointments, carb counting and everything that comes along with this wretched disease.  I feel their pain (literally) when it comes to just the constant nagging voice in the back of your mind saying things to themselves like "I wonder what my blood sugars are" or "why am I so thirsty?"  It's exhausting.

The weird thing about it is, that this nagging voice doesn't just speak to people in English.  It also nags diabetic children and adults in French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish just to name a few.  It may be a different language, but the feelings are still the same. Whether it be that your insides feel like they are caving in because of a low blood sugar or your skin is crawling because of a high blood sugar.  It is all the same and it is a universal feeling. 

Today is World Diabetes Day and blue is the representative color, hence the reason the text of this post is all in blue.  Sorry, the hyperlinks don't stand out for you, but they are still underlined and still highly encouraged that you click on them to find out more.  So whether it is a dollar, euro, peso or yen...donate it to our cause and help us find a cure for this disease that much faster.

Ask Google for a Doodle

I know you've seen the Google doodles.  Those cute little nods to the season, a specific holiday, or something significant bring life to the generic search engine. 

With World Diabetes Day quickly approaching on November 14th, here is your chance to ask Google for our own doodle. 

Help us reach our goal of getting 20,000 signatures by November 1, 2008 by signing the petition.  The petition is free and the donation at the end is optional.  It only takes a few seconds of your time...sign the petition here.

Win The Wheels!

Here is an amazing opportunity to win a new car at the Walk For A Cure in St. Louis on September 28th!  If you haven't signed up to join our JDRF Ozarks walk team, make sure you do as soon as possible as the walk is fast approaching!

Grand Prize – A 2009 Chevy Malibu 2LT ($20,000 cash option)

Your Ticket Sales Will Be Credited To Your Walk Team!

The Grand prize is for a 2009 Chevy Malibu (msrp of $25,000), one of the best selling fuel efficient cars on the market, so popular dealers are having trouble keeping them on the lot. Vehicle color and options subject to dealer availability.  Edward Jones is underwriting 100% of the cost of the car/cash option.

Tickets are $20 each or three for $50. (10,000 tickets maximum).  Download win_the_wheels2008.pdf