[Click here for a Noozhawk photo gallery from the event.]
What: A benefit for JDRF Central Coast Council
When: Saturday, Oct. 12
Where: Leadbetter Beach
Comfortable shoes, hats and exercise attire were the order of the day for more than 1,000 people out to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes to raise money for the leading global organization focused on Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) research. The Central Coast Council is a volunteer-driven group serving Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties with the support of development manager Rachel Wilkinson Felts.
The 5K walk along Santa Barbara’s Shoreline Drive was a fun and healthy way for the community to join together near the ocean in support of more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults who receive the diagnosis each year. More than 200 walks are held nationally every year and have raised $1 billion to date.
The Central Coast Council of JDRF serves more than 300 families in the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, offering quarterly family outreach events in each county and research updates who educate the communities on progress towards treatment, prevention and a cure for T1D.
“Living with T1D is a 24/7 balancing act of blood sugar tests, insulin injections, eating and activity. It affects every aspect of life and adjusting to living with T1D impacts the entire family,” said Katheryn Keller, chairwoman of the 2013 Walk to Cure. “JDRF CCC supports the newly diagnosed with care packages known as the Bag of Hope which contain diabetes supplies and educational materials to help them adjust to life with diabetes.”
KEYT News Channel 3 senior reporter John Palminteri was the 2013 grand marshal for the event, which included food, games, crafts and live entertainment by Spencer Fischer of 103.3 The Vibe, for the event that honored Dr. Cristina Candido-Vitto, a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist and diabetologist who is affiliated with Cottage Children’s Hospital of Santa Barbara.
“The JDRF CCC has been invaluable in supporting newly diagnosed families and offering services in the area,” said Dr. Steve Johnson of Johnson Family Dental and the corporate chairman of the 2013 Santa Barbara Walk to Cure Diabetes. “My son was diagnosed over three years ago, and JDRF has continued to support us, and connect us to others living with T1D.”
This year’s Santa Barbara Walk rasied $116,491, with top teams Johnson Family Dental raising $23,445, Team Aliza bringing in $17,360, Team Danielle raising $3,045 and Rabobank Central Coast with $2,700. More than 200 walks are held nationally every year and have raised $1 billion to date.
“Type 1 diabetes is a 24/7 challenge that doesn’t stop, and neither do the efforts to fund research to find a cure. Teams can and do continue to fundraise through the end of the year to reach their goals,” Keller said. “Donations to the walk are accepted through the end of 2013.”
Developed in response to the local need for support and a working group in the area, the CCC was started in 2009 by parents of children with T1D and adults with T1D in the tricounties. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. T1D is a disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump.
JDRF graciously thanks the sponsors of the 2013 Walk to Cure Diabetes:
» Johnson Family Dental, Parentclick, Sky Dive Coastal California, Coca-Cola, Pacifica Hotels, Gouin Construction, The Independent, KEYT, Rincon Broadcasting, Rabobank, Union Bank, DCH Lexus of Santa Barbara and The Berryman
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
