Euclid Kids are Walking to Raise Money for Diabetes Research

   Izzy Dalto knows all about diabetes. So does her sister, Carmella and their parents, Nestor and Amber Dalto. That’s because Izzy was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 3. Now, at age 9, Izzy has become accustomed to her Mom and Dad constantly monitoring her blood-sugar levels, carefully balancing her insulin doses with her diet and activities.

   As Amber describes it, “There are no days off with Type 1 diabetes.” Amber checks Izzy’s levels eight to ten times a day, often doing her first check at 4 or 5 am before Izzy wakes up. “We are so fortunate that Izzy has a continuous glucose monitor she wears all the time so I’m able to check her levels wirelessly and adjust them no matter where I am.” Management of Izzy’s diabetes is an ongoing learning process involving everyone in the family.

   Now, Izzy and her sister Carmella, age 10, are doing amazing things to help raise awareness for type 1 diabetes (T1D).  Accompanied by Amber and Nestor, the two sisters will be pounding the pavement, participating in the JDRF One Walk on Saturday October 13. One Walk is a fun, family friendly event where walkers, volunteers and sponsors raise awareness and money for research to help make living with T1D safer and healthier. Their team, Izzy’s Bizzies, has set a goal to raise $10,000.

   The girls have invited more than a dozen of their friends and their parents to join their team and walk with them. In the process, they are teaching their team members what it’s like for Izzy and other kids with Juvenile Diabetes to live with T1D.

   These junior members of the team have gotten off to a fast start, creating a video supporting Izzy and posting it on facebook at Amber Vodila Dalto. The team hopes to share information on T1D with their school classmates at Sts. Robert and William School now that school is back in session.

   “We invite everyone to walk with Izzy’s team, and be inspired by those who are living with the challenges of Juvenile Diabetes,” said Amber. “If you cannot walk with us, your donation will help change the lives for those with T1D. Help us turn Type One into Type None.”  To donate, become a sponsor or register to walk, go to https://www.jdrf.org and click on Events.

   This year's Juvenile Diabetes Research 5K One Walk will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Cleveland Public Square. Check-in opens at 9:00 am with the walk scheduled to begin at 11:30 am.

What is T1 Diabetes?

Millions of children and adults throughout the world live with type 1 diabetes (T1D). With T1D, a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin – a hormone essential to turning food into energy. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance the insulin doses with your eating and activity. Living with T1D means there are no days off and no cure at this time. There is hope.