JDRF Re-do

I received an email the other day about the annual JDRF Walk in our area. We have a team. We walk. I like JDRF and what they do. I try and support them by walking and being there and raising some money.

It was the bottom of the email that bothered me for some reason. This is what it said:

About JDRF:

JDRF is the worldwide leader for research to cure type 1 diabetes. It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump each day, every day of their lives. And even with that intensive care, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.4 billion to diabetes research, including $101 million in FY2009. In FY2009, JDRF funded research projects in 22 countries throughout the world, including more than 40 human clinical trials.

© 2010 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. All rights reserved.

Okey-dokey. I get it, they are serious. They want everyone to know this is a bad one, this Type 1. It causes lots of complications, even sometimes when a kiddo has great A1Cs and great numbers. It just seems so harsh in print. It seems so, well.... WOW is all I said to myself after I read it. It brought me down. I suppose that is how it's supposed to affect a person who reads it. But isn't it also misleading a bit? Yes, it's chronic, but yes, it's doable. Yes, it's lifelong, but there are measures our kiddos and people with T1 take to avoid the complications later on down the road. Is shock supposed to be it's purpose? To shock those who don't know about Type 1 into realizing how deadly it can/could be? To remind us all how it all goes down??? It just left me expecting more from JDRF. 

Is there a better wording? I'm no writer and I'm no editor, but here is my take on the whole coda to the email that they send out. Here is what I might write:

About JDRF:

JDRF is the worldwide leader in research towards curing Type 1 diabetes. It's primary role is research into curing Type 1 diabetes and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes sciences worldwide. Since it's founding in 1970 by parents of children with Type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.4 billion to diabetes research. In 2009, JDRF awarded $101 million and funded research projects in 22 countries throughout the world, including more than 40 human clinical trials.

The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and it's complications through the support of research into it's cause and beginnings. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that strikes children and adults suddenly. People who have Type 1 need to test their blood sugar and take insulin, whether it be through injections or an insulin pump, for the rest of their lives. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes. There are numerous complications that can surface for people who have Type 1. JDRF is committed to helping those affected by Type 1 diabetes lead full, productive, healthy lives while researching a cure.


Any thoughts anyone? Would you leave the JDRF statement as is or change it? I'm interested in how everyone feels after they read it.