Type 1 Diabetes Community Keeps Fighting for a Major Increase in Cure Research
Over 42,000 unite to find a cure for type 1 diabetes
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Over 42,000 individuals in the T1D community have come together to sign
the 2nd Annual More for a Cure Petition, which was launched
on September 6, 2016 by the Juvenile
Diabetes Cure Alliance. The Petition calls on the largest diabetes
fundraising organizations to substantially increase funding for type 1
diabetes cure research, which dropped to a record low in 2015.
Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed during childhood and affects an
estimated two million people in the United States. A person with the
disease needs multiple injections of insulin throughout the day and must
constantly monitor their blood sugar levels. Long term consequences of
type 1 diabetes are often dire and include eye, heart, nerve, and kidney
failure.
The 2nd Annual More for a Cure Petition acquired twice as
many signatures in six weeks as last year’s petition acquired in over 4
months. “We are very pleased with the response the Petition is
getting, although we are not surprised considering the fact that cure
research is the number one stated priority of the T1D community,” said
Phil Shaw, the JDCA’s General Manager. According to JDCA tracking data,
the amount of money used to fund cure research has been declining over
the past five years.
The two largest fundraising organizations for diabetes are the ADA and
JDRF. In 2015, JDRF’s income was $197 million of which only 37% was used
to fund type 1 diabetes research grants, down from 64% in 2008. The
ADA’s annual income was $182 million, yet only 3% of that amount was
used to fund type 1 diabetes research. At the same time, a vast majority
of the fundraising events hosted by these organizations promise that the
proceeds will be used to find a cure.
“I’ve been hearing about a cure for so long and it still hasn’t
happened,” said one Petition signer. “It’s time for more
research, and to finally find the cure that I’ve been hearing about most
of my life.”
The JDCA is a privately funded T1D-focused nonprofit that aims to
empower donors and prompt transparency in the major diabetes charities.
Sign the petition: http://petitionforacure.thejdca.org/give-our-children-a-future-free-of-diabetes/
Become
an Alliance member: http://thejdca.org/join-the-alliance/
Become
a fan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejdca
If you’d like more information about the petition or to schedule an
interview with the JDCA General Manager Phil Shaw, please call
212-308-7433 or email bg@thejdca.org.
Contacts
Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance
Brittany Greco, 212-308-7433
bg@thejdca.org
