Carson's video on JDRF's TYPEONE NATION

JDRF Advocacy asked Carson if he would make a short video about what JDRF Children's Congress inspired him to do when he got home!  He did a great job!  Thanks JDRF for continuing to give my son incredible opportunities to grow as a leader and young man!


http://typeonenation.org/2014/10/23/when-memories-are-still-being-made-is-it-considered-a-tbt/

Unicycling For a Cure November 1 @ 2 pm! Come join us!

We are blown away by the generosity and support poured out on Carson from the Coeur d Alene community for this event!  Everyone we asked was so willing to help and has gone above and beyond our expectations!  We have even had people offering their services!  We are excited to announce that Dave Holden, who races with the NovaNordisk Elite cycling team will be at the event!  Come meet this amazing guy who happens to have T1D!  Sorenson Magnet school will have their amazing Marimba band there, as well as jugglers and unicyclists!  Schlotskys, Starbucks, and Super One will be provided some delicious food and Bashful Dan from K102 Country will MC the event! Carson is hoping to make some BIG FIGURE DOLLARS for JDRF!  KXLY will be there filming for a news story and a few more surprises! JDRF representatives and families will answer your questions and collect donations!  We are still looking for a few more helping hands!  See you there!

Rockin' a TV interview with KXLY's Nadine Woodward! Stay Tuned for air date!

JDRF KIDS ADVOCACY CLUB

Post by Carson

I have T1D kids say to me,"I want to do all the stuff that you do."  So, I thought, "Why not start a club for kids so that they can advocate like I do."  We meet at the same time the parents meet for the JDRF Outreach meeting at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital the second Tuesday of the month.  I am going to start one here in Coeur d Alene, also!  So far, we have made several thank you posters for Senators and the Representatives thanking them for signing onto the Special Diabetes Program which give $150 million annually to T1D research.  Also, we make posters thanking the Congressmen for meeting with us when we discuss bills.  I called several of my friends with T1D and asked them to meet with me when I met with U.S. Senator Risch about S. 2689 The Medicare CGM Access Act. We and 30 people come (T1D kids and their families).  Now that is some serious advocacy!!!!

 JDRF KIDS Advocacy Club meeting with U.S. Senator Risch about S. 2689 The Medicare CGM Access Act

 Making thanks you posters for the Senators and Representatives!

 JDRF Kids Advocacy Club meeting with U.S. Representative Labrador asking him of this support of the Special Diabetes Program bill which give $150 million to T1D research annually!

Meeting with U.S. Senator Risch and U.S. Senator Crapo

Post by Carson

 There is a new bill on the floor that needs our attention. It is called the Medicare CGM Access Act. S.2689  Continuous Glucose Monitors are an important and very useful technology for people with T1D and makes up a component artificial pancreas technology.  Despite the fact that over 95% of private health plans cover CGMs, Medicare DOES NOT YET offer coverage. This bill would give seniors with T1D on Medicare access to this potentially life saving technology and help advance the artificial pancreas...which is very important to me.

 My CGM has helped me a lot and not only reads my interstitual fluid every 5 minutes, but also shows me trends that helps me catch a low bg or correct a rising bg before it gets too high.  I led the meeting and showed Sen. Risch how my CGM works.

 I made phone calls and asked my friends with T1D, who are a part of the JDRF Kids Advocacy Club that I started, to come to the meeting to show their support and ask for the Senator to consider signing on to this very important bill.

 The next night, Oct 10, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo was holding a town hall meeting just a few miles from my house, so I went hoping to get a minute to talk to him about the Medicare CGM bill, as well.  His staffer invited me to come talk to the Senator after the meeting.  I thanked him for signing on to the Special Diabetes Program bill (SDP) and then told him about S. 2689. He did not act like he was familiar with the bill, but asked his staffers to write it down so he could go take a look at it and see what it was about...he was very interested and thanked me for calling it to his attention.

 We talked about old times in D.C. and it was nice to see him again!

I feel like I am making a difference when I meet with the Senators and I am thankful for the Club members who come and help support our efforts!!  I hope this bill will pass!  Like I always say, "One voice can make a difference!"

MISS IDAHO Top 15 in Miss America Pageant!!!

SO VERY PROUD OF OUR MISS IDAHO!

The Awesome JDRF Walk (or Unicycle Ride) to Cure Diabetes

This is our awesome walk team!!!  A lot of other people gave money, though!  All together you helped us raise $4040 for our Walk this year!  Thank you! Our Spokane JDRF walk brought in over $100,000 this year!!!

Here we are right before the walk started...minus a few walkers!  Mason and I are getting ready to ride!

And they're off...much smoother take off on the unicycles this year!  We got a little clearing and didn't take too many walkers out! :)

3 miles at Riverfront Park in Spokane on a beautiful day!  My mom got these shots!

My brother, Mason, is the most awesome brother ever.  He carried my meter and juices (for when my bg goes low)..he even rode the smaller unicycle even though he is bigger than me!  We had an awesome system worked out....we checked my bg, drank juices, texted our mom...many times ALL WITHOUT EVER STOPPING!

This is Daniel.  He is on our JDRF Board of Directors.  He has had T1D for 10 years and in those 10 years, he has run 110 marathons and 6 Ironmen!!!!!  What?????

This is Sophie.  She was theWalk Ambassador like I was 2 years ago! Our moms always take pics of us together...it is really annoying!

These are my buddies Ethan and Logan who came to walk with me...well, they tried to keep up!  Well, that's a wrap, folks...til next year!