Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes

I have been involved with this walk in one way or another since 2004.  Growing up, one of my best friend's mom had this scary disease called Diabetes.  I didn't know a lot about it but I knew that she was sick, had "reactions", and sometimes went to the hospital.  Watching what I now know were diabetic reactions to low blood sugars was scary.  For a long time I didn't know what to do or how to handle it.  Over time, I learned a little bit about what to do, but was still mostly just scared.

In 2000, I found out that one of my best friends had Type I Diabetes.  He kept a lot of the effects of it from me, other than occasional low blood sugars and it wasn't until 2007 that I finally saw the hell the he lives in.  It's a hell of constant vigilance or risk having a low which, for him, leads to seizures if they aren't caught soon enough.  He had to have reconstructive shoulder surgery and in order to do that, we had to have his blood sugars under strict control.  It became a focus of our lives for over a year.  I've learned an enormous amount about what this disease can do to you if you do not manage it properly and sometimes even if you do.

My father was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes several years ago.  He manages it well but it's always a worry with neuropathy, possible vision loss, what he's eating, when he's eating, if he's resting enough, and if he will get sick or not.  You see, people with Diabetes don't heal as quickly as they should.  A simple cut on the bottom of your foot, if you don't feel it or just think you stepped on a rock, could be life threatening. 

I want to live in a world that doesn't have this insidious disease.  I want people to educate themselves on some of the causes of Type II Diabetes.  I don't want to wonder anymore if this seizure is the seizure that takes him away from me.  I don't want to wonder just how much shorter Diabetes has cut my loved one's lives short. 

If you can donate even $1.00 then please do so by CLICKING HERE for my personal page.

If you are in the greater Seattle area (I live about 2 hours away) and want to walk then please CLICK HERE to join our team.  You can also join the team as a virtual walker if you cannot attend the walk but want to raise money.

 If you want to join or start a team for a walk in your area, you can find a walk by CLICKING HERE and entering your zip code on the Step Out homepage.

Whether or not you walk or donate, please pass this information to your friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever social media you would like to use.

 

The American Diabetes Association asks walkers why they walk.

 

I walk for love.

 

That is all.