According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects 12 percent of Americans in our country. Recently, students from GNHS worked to bring awareness to the disease.
On October 5, students went to Independence Grove in Libertyville to participate in the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Walk to Cure Diabetes and to help put an end to type one diabetes.
“There were over 4,000 people at the walk, and over 6,000 people had registered online,” said senior Courtney Chamberlin.
The people participating raise money, and the money that is raised during this walk can help bring awareness to type one diabetes and the effects it has on so many American households. The money raised goes to research to help fund the cure to stopping the disease.
“My team, the Drakesters, has raised over $3.5 million in the last 15 years,” said senior Drake Isaacs.
Isaacs has type one diabetes. He has been an active leader in trying to help find a cure for himself and many others. He has a team that participates in the yearly walk called the “Drakesters.” They have been participating in the walk at Independence Grove since 1998.
“It means a lot to me, seeing so many people come together for the same cause and trying to end it. The support was unreal and meant a lot to my family and I,” Isaacs said.
It is a special thing for people such as Isaacs watching a community come together and help out a good cause. The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes is an event where many friends and family can come to have a good time and support the loved ones in their life.
“We want to make type one, type none for people all over the country,” Isaacs said.
Students and other people in the community are looking to contribute to the search of putting an end to type one diabetes. Walks and charity events like this help and benefit people in the community who suffer from the disease.