Lindsay Masters, Aubrie Collins, Michelle & Cameron Crouse, Serene Johnson, Harriet & Peter Reis, Congressman Spencer Bachus, Meredith, Laurel, & Mallory Whitt, Tracy Carter, Pat Bills, April Thomas, and Rodney Barstein
On Wednesday, March 26thAlabama advocates from District 6 participated in a Promise to Remember Me Meeting with Congressman Spencer Bachus. The meeting was very well attended; participants were JDRF Staffer Lindsay Masters, Aubrie Collins, Michelle and Cameron Crouse, Board Member Serene Johnson, Harriet and Peter Reis, Laurel, Mallory, and Meredith Whitt, Tracy Carter, Board Member Pat Bills, JDRF Staffer April Thomas, Board Member Rodney Barstein, and Alabama Chapter ED Karin Scott.
The meeting began with the participants thanking Congressman Bachus for his longtime support of the JDRF and our legislative initiatives. Most recently, Congressman Bachus supported H.R. 2762, legislation to renew the Special Diabetes Program and voted YES on the Medicare package, granting a one year renewal of the SDP. The Congressman thanked everyone for coming and was very interested in hearing the stories of the children and families.
Cameron presented Congressman Bachus with a school picture and letter thanking him for meeting with us, a blue JDRF bracelet, and a Cameron’s Crew WALK team t-shirt. This prompted the Congressman to ask about the WALK and has put our October 2009 WALK on his calendar.
Congressman Bachus remembered Peter Reis from Children’s Congress. He was extremely interested in Peter’s pump and CGM sensor. He asked many questions about the technology and was told that these advances were the result of Special Diabetes Program.
Laurel Whitt, mother to Meredith, told the Congressman that already in Meredith’s short life time she had given her over 3200 shots. Laurel also shared how Meredith’s sister, Mallory, had participated in tests to determine her risk for diabetes. The group was quick to point research studies like this one were supported by the Special Diabetes Program.
Pat Bills talked about the struggles of controlling her son Alec’s blood sugars as he anticipated the upcoming SAT test in school. Tracy Carter added how the common cold can negatively affect her son Cameron’s blood sugars causing him to miss school.
An expecting April Thomas shared the struggles of maintaining her blood sugars throughout her pregnancy. Aubrie Collins had the distinction of being the longest diagnosed person in the room. She told the Congressman that she is a counselor at two of Alabama’s camps for diabetics and also Cameron Crouse’s babysitter.
Congressman Bachus asked the group if diabetes was something that the children would outgrow and he was quickly told that there was no cure for type 1 diabetes. That for the rest of their lives, type 1 diabetics would have to rely on insulin to survive. Michelle shared with the Congressman the startling facts of how much diabetes costs Alabama and the epidemic proportion of those suffering from diabetes in our state.
It was evident that Congressman Bachus was interested in the statistics and staggering costs of diabetes, but it was surely the stories of these children and families that had the greatest impact.
Congressman Bachus assured us that we had his continued support on renewing the funding for the Special Diabetes Program.
This meeting has been submitted for the following awards: Best Impact
to suggest this meeting for an award.