From Promise Participants
While sitting in Reagan National Airport for our delayed plane to take us back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I was talking to Mike Crowley, and Suzy Jablonowski (my mom). We were exhausted from our busy day on Capitol Hill during Government Day. We had meetings with our Senators and Representatives throughout the day, talking with them about the importance of the multi-year extension of the Special Diabetes Program – H.R. 2762. One of our meetings was planned with Representative Paul Ryan (R-1-WI). I say, “was planned”, because he actually was not able to meet with us due to snow in the Milwaukee area. We were able to meet with his Legislative Director, Matt Hoffmann. Although this meeting went well, nothing compares to meeting with Mr. Ryan himself, so my plans were to make my Promise To Remember Me Meeting with him when I returned home!
As I said, we were waiting at the airport, when an idea came to me. What if Rep. Ryan would get off the plane that we were waiting for? What if I would be able to talk with him right now? So, the plane lands, and the three of us were standing and watching all of the passengers get off. Easily 10 people were already past us, and I concluded that my plan was wrong…. When sure enough, around the corner comes Representative Paul Ryan with one of his assistants!
I really didn’t want to intrude on his time (knowing he was already running late) but I just had to. We stopped him and introduced ourselves telling him we were with JDRF and met with Matt earlier in the day. He apologized for not being able to make the meeting. After this short-lived meeting in the lobby of the airport, we were able to snap a picture and say our good-byes. But not without asking him to Promise To RememberMe. This was by far an amazing way to end a very successful trip to Washington D.C.!
I have always wanted to attend a Promise to Remember Me Meeting. When my mom and I saw that this meeting fit perfectly into our schedule, was close by, and was convenient for us, I jumped on the opportunity and looked forward to going. When the day of the meeting came, I was excited, knowing it was going to be an experience I would never forget. Before I left, I gathered a picture of myself and glued it to construction paper. On the construction paper I wrote “Promise to Remember Me” at the top and then followed with my name, age, school, activities, and saying I was an ambassador for JDRF along with the words THANK YOU.
My grandpa and my father attended the meeting with me. The office was very nice, having pictures of Representative Patrick Tiberi (R-12-OH) himself, the White House, and other charities and groups he supports. His office staff was very friendly and assisted us to make us feel as though we were at home. When Rep. Tiberi came in we all stood up and shook hands with him and his assistant. His assistant took notes throughout the meeting about topics we discussed such as diabetes in school, sports, the Special Diabetes Program, the statistics surrounding diabetes and its effects.
We then went around the room sharing our personal story of diabetes and life, saying how it affects us, the complications we endure, our feelings about diabetes and hopeful plans for the future. As a Quad, Zone, and OhioState swimmer I talked about swimming and how I constantly have to keep an eye on my blood sugar levels, making sure they do not go too low, even though it seems as though they always do! I shared that diabetes could be frustrating in school as I never want to fall behind in my classes due to my disease. I also shared that I have also been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, meaning I must eat a gluten-free diet. This means I am allergic to wheat, flour, oats, barley, malt, or grains. I told Rep. Tiberi that Celiac Disease needs a “trigger” to be brought on and that diabetes was perfect to act as that trigger. My father and grandfather also pointed out that diabetes does not only affect the diabetic himself, but the family as well. Then parents had their turn to make any comments. The table was then open for discussion as Rep. Tiberi asked us questions he had regarding the disease and to clear up some voting procedures he had performed earlier.
After answering questions and having open talk on diabetes at the table, Rep Tiberi asked for his camera crew to snap a few photos of him with the kids and then him with the families. For the Promise to Remember Me website, a picture was also taken and is now posted there. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and meeting and talking to Rep. Tiberi. It is satisfying to know that I may not only have helped my life and the future it holds, but thousands of other children dealing with the devastating disease of Juvenile Diabetes. We are very grateful that Rep. Tiberi took the time to listen and hopefully “Remember Us.”
-Tanner Barton
12yrs.
Dublin, Ohio
I had the pleasure of joining JDRF families from Virginia at a Promise to Remember Me meeting with Senator Jim Webb (D-VA). It seems like only yesterday I was walking down these same halls in WashingtonDC, as Chairmom for the 2007 Children’s Congress.
Our group of Virginia advocates had the chance to talk with the Senator and his staff regarding life with diabetes, and how it affects each of us on a daily basis. We explained the countless finger pricks, injections, pump changes and carbohydrate counting everyone must endure to live with the disease. We also explained the importance of the Special Diabetes Program, to the millions of people dealing with diabetes. The program is a critical component to continued research on many projects that show great potential in preventing, treating and ultimately finding a cure for diabetes. We urged him and his staff to support this legislation, and thanked them for their continued support and their willingness to meet with us.
I hope all Children’s Congress participants are taking an opportunity to meet with their legislators during the promise campaign. It was so wonderful to see the impact you made in WashingtonDC, and now I’m counting on you to lead the way to helping us secure 400 meetings for this campaign. I want to thank everyone that has participated in a Promise meeting so far and I look forward to tracking all of your success stories on the web site!
I'd like to tell everyone about a great meeting on October 1st with Representative Candice Miller (R, District 10 MI) as part of the Promise Campaign. I was especially looking froward to this meeting because this is my district! My son, Max, and I had attended a Promise meeting with Rep. Miller before, but this would be my first time "in charge".
Paul Anstine, Rep. Miller's scheduler in D.C. helped me set up a date and I began to line up my families. One of the families, the Klakulaks, had signed up through the website and were very anxious to go. My other target was a gentleman my husband and I met last year, Rob Ashton.
Rob was our host as I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Germany last August. He and I flew to Germany together as my husband had to go to Sweden for a few days ahead of time. While we awaited our flight in Detroit Metro airport, I got a call from my son, who was staying with relatives in Buffalo, NY. He was having a problem with his pump site and had a very high blood sugar and ketones. Rob listened as I talked Max through the fix, and after my call I explained to him that Max had diabetes. About a month later, my husband called from work to tell me that Rob's six year old son, Wyatt had just been diagnosed. Very weird. We met Rob's wife, Jackie, shortly after Wyatt's diagnosis and I promised to keep them in mind for JDRF activities down the road. As soon as I got this appointment, I called them up and invited them to attend.
Congresswoman Miller is very familiar with diabetes-related issues. Not only has she hosted a more than a few Promise meetings, but her chief of staff, Jamie Roe, has had Type I for about seven years. She made it very clear during our meeting that she was supportive of children's health issues and that she realizes what a difficult disease diabetes can be. I went through our basic talking points during our meeting, then I told her that as long as I had her there in person, I would like to ask her to sign on as a cosponsor for H.R. 2762. I mentioned that another Representative from MI, Rep. Dale Kildee, was already a cosponsor. Mrs. Miller answered that she wouldn't commit to me right there before she had a chance to read the legislation, but that she would look into it. She also wanted to know who the original sponsor was.
Later that day, I emailed Jamie Roe to let him know that DeGette was the original sponsor of the bill. He answered me back and told me that Mrs. Miller was researching H.R. 2762. I was very excited to receive a call on October 3rd from Carrie Arnold, Rep. Miller's health aide in D.C., telling me that Mrs. Miller had agreed to cosponsor our bill! I think personally making that ask made all the difference.
Jill Geisendorfer
RL, Southeast MI
On August 16, 2007, my daughter Morgan and I had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Representative Ron Klein (FL-District 22) along with two other JDRF Youth Ambassadors - Sydney Lubetkin (with mom Amy) and Nicholas Pollock (with mom Rose Marie). Both Amy and Rose Marie are JDRF board members and serve in committee capacities with the Greater Palm Beach County Chapter.
My Daughter and 2005 Children's Congress Chairkid Lauren Stanford has been a dedicated Promise to Remember Me Volunteer since the program began in 2000. Being a part of Promise has done a lot for her. Not only has she built excellent relationships with her elected officials, she's been asked to speak before the US Senate by her Senator Edward Kennedy, and has been offered a page position in Washington when she is ready for it. But most of all, she's learned a lot about democracy. Cilck on the link below to read a story she wrote for the Boston Herald last week about her experiences with Promise, then consider helping your child get involved. It will earn them more than just community service hours.
Keep the meetings coming!
One proud mother,
Moira McCarthy
Chair, Grassroots Outreach
We were so fortunate to
have the opportunity to meet with
Representative
Fortenberry (R-NE-1). We were able
to have an in-depth conversation about JDRF, NIH funding, and also what
children and adults living with type I diabetes must deal with on a daily
basis. He was also very interested in our Outreach Program and how we
reach out to families both locally and across Nebraska.
On behalf of the Central Virginia chapter, I was proud to represent all of the passionate and dedicated volunteers working every day to raise money and awareness for a cure.
Wow, today was amazing! I am so glad that I was able to contribute to the successful start of the Promise Campaign. As the Promise to Remember Me Campaign's International Co-Chair, I've been busy promoting the campaign on my music tour, and was very excited for it to finally begin.
Ned and I were absolutely thrilled to visit with Representative Cantor (R-VA-7) and Elliott Yamin for the Promise to Remember me kick-off in Washington, D.C. on August 1st. That excitement was matched by the deep appreciation we felt towards Rep. Cantor for deciding to cosponsor the Special Diabetes Funding bill in the House.