The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide. JDRF is a non-profit organization. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. JDRF provided more than $156 million to diabetes research in FY 2008, and is responsible for more than $1.3 billion in direct funding since it was founded. JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with type 1 diabetes. As a result, JDRF volunteers have a personal connection to type 1 diabetes, which translates into an unrelenting commitment to finding a cure. These volunteers are the driving force behind more than 100 locations worldwide that raise money and advocate for government spending for type 1 diabetes research.
About Type 1 Diabetes
Since people with type 1 diabetes can't produce their own insulin, they must put insulin into the blood stream through injections or an insulin pump. If people with type 1 diabetes inject too much insulin (or eat too little) they may have a hypoglycemic reaction. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is the most common problem in children with diabetes. It can be very serious and requires immediate action.
People with type 1 diabetes often struggle to determine how much insulin to inject. In a simple and perfect world, this question would have an easy answer (e.g. always eat a certain amount of food and inject a certain amount of insulin). However, in reality there is no way to know how much insulin to inject with 100% accuracy. Many factors influence how much insulin people need to get to the desired "perfect balance" of glucose and insulin. These factors include foods with different absorption rates as well as the effects of stress, illness, and exercise.
Also, as children grow, their insulin needs change. Since determining how much insulin the body needs to "balance" the amount of glucose is really a best guess, sometimes the guess is inaccurate and high or low blood sugar results.
Warning signs of type 1 diabetes include: extreme thirst, frequent urination, drowsiness or lethargy, increased appetite, sudden weight loss for no reason, sudden vision changes, sugar in urine, fruity odor on breath, heavy or labored breathing, stupor or unconsciousness. These may occur suddenly.
Risk of Complications
High blood sugar levels over a number of years can cause serious damage to the body's organ systems. This damage may cause complications affecting the heart, nerves, kidneys, eyes, and other parts of the body. A number of studies, however, have proven that careful monitoring and control of blood sugar levels greatly reduces the threat of these complications. Researchers are also making progress at developing new treatments and technologies to help people with diabetes stay healthy. It's important to remember that people with diabetes can lead active and productive lives, just like anyone else. More information can be found at www.jdrf.org