Ryann Mata, a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, is one of many who knows someone who’s suffered or died from diabetes.
“My grandma’s two sisters have both died from diabetes,” she said. “They live in Mexico so it’s really hard for them to get treatment and so a lot of my family members are dying from diabetes.”
Mata and the rest of AGD will host their annual Walk To Cure: Let’s Dia-Beat This — a philanthropy event to raise money for diabetes research — from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event will begin in the Kibbie Dome parking lot. The cost of registration for the Walk to Cure is $3 for students with a Vandal ID and $5 for the general public .
Mata, fellow sorority member Nicole Case and AGD Philanthropy Coordinator Alyssa Jean Pietz, said the sorority got involved with diabetes research when they met Candace Riley, a Moscow resident who is battling Type 1 Diabetes. Case said Riley has visited the house multiple times to hang out with AGD sisters, and that she has been the inspiration for the annual fundraiser, which is now in it’s third year.
“(The event) gives the community a chance to get to know us better and to understand where we’re coming from,” Case said. “We always go to the Type 1 Diabetes support groups and we always make sure that [the parents] know us, and that they feel comfortable letting their kids hang out with us.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2010. In 2012 that number jumped to 29.1 million people diagnosed, and an additional 8.1 million undiagnosed cases of diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar caused by a lack of insulin. According to the ADA, the body’s immune system attacks the pancreas, which then produces little or no insulin. Type 2 Diabetes is more common and is a result of the body not using insulin properly, also known as insulin resistance.
AGD is partnering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to raise money for Type 1 Diabetes research. The event coordinators are expecting about 300 people to attend this year’s walk. The walk will begin with speeches from event founders about how the Walk to Cure started, followed by the actual walk. Participants will walk from the Kibbie Dome, around campus and town and make five “pitstops” along the way.
“We’re trying to make this a more educational event this year as well as an awareness event,” Pietz said. “Each stop will have facts about diabetes and water and since there will be kids, they’ll probably want a break from walking here and there.”
After the walk, the group will meet back at the Kibbie Dome parking lot where there will be live entertainment from Ben Whipple and a festival of carnival games and information stands.
“Diabetes touches more than just our sisters, but also our family, friends and community members,” Pietz said. “It’s a really prevalent disease throughout society so we wanted to contribute to something that is affecting individuals on a daily basis. Studies show that we will find a cure in our lifetime.”
Emily Mosset
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