Four years ago Riley Fincher-Foster was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. T1D is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, the hormone needed to live. T1D develops when the insulin-producing beta cells are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system. There is nothing anyone can do to prevent T1D. Presently, there is no known cure. At the age of 4, Riley began sharing her story, spreading awareness, advocating, and fundraising. Recently she wrote a letter to the governor asking for the state of South Carolina to proclaim November as Diabetes Awareness Month and recognize November 14th as World Diabetes day.
To her surprise she received an official proclamation from the state of South Carolina! When asked why she sent the letter she said, “I just really want more people to know about Type One. Usually when people know I have T1 they think it just means I can’t eat sugar, but that is not it at all. Sometimes I even have to have some sugar to keep me alive. When people know more about T1D they will know how to help and maybe one day I will get my dream of a world without Type One.”
Riley is a Youth Ambassador for JDRF if you would like to support her on her quest to fund research for Type One Diabetes please visit www2.jdrf.org/goto/thankful♦
