Tara Marsden
 Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic (life-long) autoimmune disease that can strike children as young as a few months old. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 is not related to lifestyle factors and can't be treated through diet and exercise alone. Insulin injections keep us alive, but they are by no means a cure. There is no cure.
I was diagnosed shortly after my 21st birthday and am very grateful to have lived my childhood without this disease. The treatment of Type 1 diabetes is complex. For many, it involves multiple daily injections of insulin, for some - like myself - it involves being attached to an insulin pump 24/7. Living with this disease also means getting the vital balance between carbohydrate intake, exercise and insulin to keep blood sugar levels at optimum levels. However, it is not a simple equation and often levels can be out of whack despite my best efforts. My greatest wish is for a cure to be found for this disease. Mainly for all the children who grow up not knowing a simple life without needles, finger prick tests and diet restrictions, who must grow up before their time and never know a 'normal' childhood. I am grateful that I got to live mine free from this disease and my heart goes out to all those families out there who have to deal with all of this every waking moment of their days. It is a hard enough balancing act for me to keep up for myself, let alone for parents to keep up for their children. That is why I am doing the Walk to Cure Diabetes, to raise money for vital research that could one day find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes and save so much heartache for all those parents out there taking care of young children with diabetes. JDRF is the world's leading non-profit contributor to type 1 diabetes research and the only charity dedicated solely to finding a cure through the support of medical research. All donations, regardless of amount, will bring us closer to a cure. When you donate a receipt will be automatically generated. Many thanks for your support. Donate now by clicking on thebutton below. |  | 
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