School Blue-nity – Plans for Year Three

On Monday, November 14th, we will be holding our third School Blue-nity event at Caleb’s school.

The first year we raised some dough for JDRF.

Last year we did some myth busting.

This year our focus will be Team Type 1’s mission to make lives better for diabetic children in Rwanda.

When Caleb and Phil crashed in Central Park and Phil’s very expensive bike was pronounced dead, I offered several times to compensate Phil in some way for his loss. He adamantly refused over and over again. As we were saying our good-byes, I gave it one final shot and he conceded to suggesting a donation to help buy children much needed test strips. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and was slightly embarrassed at not thinking of it myself.

To hear that children in Rwanda test their blood sugar once a week or more likely once a month is saddening.

To hear that a family is relieved at the death of their diabetic child because now they can use the little money they have to buy food instead of insulin is, at best, heart-breaking.

To hear that children are abandoned by their families upon being diagnosed with diabetes is unthinkable.

But these are real stories.

Living with type 1 diabetes under the best of circumstances is a challenge. Caleb has the most advanced tools available to him, yet we worry all the time, we miss the mark often resulting in out of range blood sugars that make him feel unwell or disrupt his day. I worry that despite our best efforts, he will grow up and develop complications as a result of living with this disease for the majority of his life.

But I do not have to worry that he will inevitably and quickly become blind, develop nerve damage or kidney failure and have a significantly shortened life expectancy.

This is the reality for diabetic children in places like Rwanda.

Part of Caleb’s thank you note to Phil was “How can I help the children of Rwanda?”

Our family has made a monetary donation to Team Type 1 to help buy life-saving medical supplies. Our School Blue-nity event will ask our community to support Phil’s efforts too. In addition to asking classmates and staff to wear blue on November 14th, the administration has agreed to make it a “dollar day”, asking anyone willing and able to bring in a dollar to support this worthy cause.

Thank you yet again, Phil, for all that you do. Caleb is so proud to be able to possibly influence some aide for these children to which he so greatly relates. Thank you for giving that to him.