While I've known him for a number of years, yesterday was the first time our families met. He and his family not only sponsored our walk team, they joined it. Although the majority of our relationship is based on the work we do together, I would most definitely call him a friend. He has a passion for family and being a father that he wears on his sleeve like no one else I know. While diabetes has not been in his home, something awful has been and it took a great toll on the family. Thinking back to a dark time in his life not so long ago was a startling reminder for me that even outside our growing community of D-Moms and Dads, there are parents who walk a life and death line even thinner than ours.
Yesterday was a good day. Actually it was a great day. Yesterday was the 2010 TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes. About 800 or so walkers, families, friends, supporters, joined together to celebrate the difference we are making. We came up a little short of our community goal, but none the less we achieved a walk day total of $125,000 which is a $30k or so improvement over last year! After months of hard work and long hours, it all came together with only a couple minor glitches that were pretty much made up for by the cooperative weather.
Working with the events and logistics committee these past several months has been a fantastic and rewarding experience. The Family Walk Chair position has a two year term and I'm really looking forward to the coming year and being a part of making this annual event even more successful. One of the highlights of the last few weeks was getting to call the families that had registered for past events but not yet registered this year. I could do a couple pages on that one, but suffice it to say it was mind-blowingly awesome to talk (real-time) to parents in the exact same boat.
Another neat thing about the event was that since it was partly sponsored by Bayer, Roche, and Medtronic... and they were there... with their pumps... and pumpers... and samples.... and literature.... It was kind of like a little outlet mall of pumps. I think I'm over the fear of pumping, and as soon as I can get over the fear of change... I know it sounds like procrastination, but I do still have that 1 year idea stuck in my head, but that also allows Jonathan to get through a summer and back to a school routine before the change. I have no doubt that we will at the very least give it a fair try.
It was a big, long, and draining day, but it was a great day. As much as I would not wish time away, I am looking forward to June 2011 to do it all over again!
