Sen. Mel Martinez (R–FL)

Meeting Summary

• Meeting held

Meeting Attendees:

Our daughter, Emma, has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes for a little over a year now.  She is a loving and curious child who only differs from most 3 year-olds in one way—she is actively seeking a cure.  Sitting back and allowing diabetes to happen to her was never an option for our family.  Her courage and will have made it a necessity for us to become actively involved.    At home, Emma has 3 jars to earn money—one for spending, one for saving, and one simply labeled JDRF.  When she earns coins for helping out, she always pulls the jars off the shelf and we see the coins accumulate in that JDRF jar.  She turned them in on Walk Day this year, along with over $33,000 that her team raised to help find a cure.    Our first JDRF Walk was successful, but bittersweet.  All of those coins going into that jar and all of the support we had from family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers was amazing, but we didn’t realize how literal our 3 year-old was.  After that celebratory walk, she looked at us and said, ‘Now I don’t have to wear my pump anymore!’  She believed what those 4 powerful words said—WALK TO CURE DIABETES.  The problem: there was no cure at the end of this year’s walk.  But that doesn’t mean there won’t be.  It just spurred us on even more.  How could we do MORE to fund research?   Now we’ve found a way.  The Promise to Remember Me Campaign allowed us a tremendous opportunity to meet with Senator Mel Martinez.  The Senator very graciously took time out of his busy schedule to hear our story.  We showed him how far current research has come by demonstrating Emma’s insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor.  We also knew it was important to let him know that, as wonderful as these technologies are, they are not a cure.  We talked with him about the importance of continuing and expanding funds for research that will someday lead to better lives for so many.  Senator Martinez was very receptive, and we feel confident that he will make the right decision and co-sponsor a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program.  Emma was very excited about this opportunity and was ready to do her best as an advocate.  She gave him a big kiss of the cheek before we left and he returned the favor.  That night, as we were tucking her in, she sat up abruptly and said, “Oh, wait!  I forgot to ask him for a cure for diabetes!”  I told her, with that kiss, she already had.  Now that’s advocacy.  Let’s all fight the fight and do our part.