JDRF

Dear Family and Friends,

Most people who know me know that I always have something going on. Well now is no different, my new venture in life is the “Walk to Cure Diabetes”. As you guys know my grandmother, mother, sister and father-in-law are/were diabetics, so this is near and dear to my heart. In addition to those in my family, I also have friends who deal with diabetes in some way or another. One of my closest friends is a diabetic herself, another close friend’s husband was recently diagnosed and a woman who has been a great inspiration to me spiritually suffers with diabetes. So you can see the burden I have.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes is one of the fastest growing fundraising events in the world. Each year over 500,000 people “walk for a cure” at 200 JDRF Walk locations in over a dozen countries. Funds are raised by individual and team walkers obtaining donations from family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. Last year, over $90 million was raised worldwide for diabetes research and research education thru JDRF’s Walk program.

There are 3 ways you can help us make a difference for children as well as adults who battle this disease everyday:

1. You can join my family team “The Monitors” by walking at the WALK TO CURE DIABETES scheduled for Saturday, October 18 at Mayes Lake at Lefluer’s Bluff State Park in Jackson, MS.

2. You can send a tax-deductible contribution, of any amount, made payable to: JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and mail to the following address:

The Thornton’s
171 Burl Roberts Rd
Vidalia, LA 71373

3. You can Pray for a cure for diabetes and all its complications.

You may also contribute to this effort and/or join our team by visiting the following link via the internet: www.jdrf.org


I know it is a lot to ask of our friends and family, and we know how valuable your time, energy and income is. But we do want you to know that you have made a difference in finding a cure for diabetes. Joseph and I look forward to hearing from you.

Love,
The Thornton Family

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure. There are an estimated23.6 million children and adults in the United States,or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 5.7 million people are not aware that they have the disease. 57 million people have pre-diabetes.
If present trends continue, ONE IN THREE AMERICANS, (This is our 4 children, what are the chances that one could be one of ours) and 1 in 2 minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Each day, approximately 4,110 people are diagnosed with diabetes. In 2005 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people age 20 years or older.

School is back in Session

Well, like most of you the kids started school last week. Goodness it seemed like the summer flew by. Anyway Katie is in 2nd grade this year and is in class with lots of her little friends, so she is very excited. All of her papers sent home thus far have been A's so i am very excited that she is doing well. Kristen is in the 5th grade this year and isn't in class with any of her last year kids but has already made new friends. She usually does!!! She also has had all A's thus far but i wont hold my breath on that one. She can do it, she just gets preoccupied. D.J. is a freshman, yes you heard me, 9th grade, high school!!! Whew this is going to be a year. She like Hunter has Ms. Hall (Jeannie Crnkovic) and Jeannie knows she is mine. She asked her if she was as smart as Hunter, and D.J. didn't answer. Well she is in for a treat b/c D.J. is brilliant and she knows that GPA is important from here on out. Hunter is a sophmore, playing football. He has been busy, no free time at all. Practice until 8 or 9 then homework. He has to find time to eat sometime in between. I got him some snack bars (high in protein) for him to take to school to eat after school b/f practice to get him through. Someone told him to do something in his free time and his answer was "I have no free time" and he really doesn't. I am excited though, loving having something to go do on Friday nights.

My babies are growing up fast!!!!

Walk to cure Diabetes

As most of you guys know, I am always on the go!!! My next venture is a Walk to Cure Diabetes. Most of you guys are familiar with me and know that my grandmother, mother, sister as well as my father in law were/are diabetics, so this is near and dear to my heart. In addition to those in my family, i also have many friends who deal with diabetes in some way or another. One of my closest friends is a diabetic, another close friends husband is, a woman who has been very inspirational (spiritually) in my life, and so many more that I couldn't name them all. So you can see that this is important. I am just starting to read up and prepare for all we have to do for this walk so I am not as familiar as I would like to be, but just wanted to post to let you guys know that if you or anyone you know is diabetic, or if you just want to get involved in this walk please let me know. The walk is on Saturday,October 18th at Mayers Lake at Lefleur's Bluff State Park in Mississippi (not sure where in MS that is yet). Please message me and let me know. We need as much support as we can get. We invite you to be part of our team. We are going to set a goal to raise and design t-shirts. Please if you're interested let me know.Jennifer