Dear Friends,
Greetings from Mark and Jade Matlock and Bart and Shannon Millard!
Sam Millard and Skye Matlock
Like nearly 3 million Americans with Type 1 Diabetes, Sam and Skye have a lower projected lifespan by 14 years and are more likely to suffer blindness, amputation, heart disease, kidney failure (requiring dialysis), nerve damage, and 2-4 times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. Every year, 13,000 children are diagnosed. While we are thankful for insulin that helps regulate blood sugar levels we always remember: INSULIN IS NOT A CURE – IT IS MERELY LIFE SUPPORT.
Imagine your child reading the above paragraph and realizing this was about them! When Mark asked the doctor how serious he should be taking the diagnosis, Skye overheard the above statistics and began to cry. “I don’t want to die Daddy, I’m scared.” And every day we do what we must, testing blood (in the middle of the night too), managing precision diets, and giving injections of insulin so that our children will not die.
Like emergency rescue personnel, doctors, and coroners who live in the face of death everyday we have developed coping mechanisms to deal this ever present reality that faces our children, but every now and then you sit still for a moment and realize why you have to do these things, and you weep. Please help us find a cure. We don’t want any other parents or children to deal with this reality.
Both Bart and Mark travel extensively for their ministries (MercyMe and WisdomWorks) frequently leaving Shannon and Jade at home to carry the burden alone. Shannon has the added challenge of tending to three children under the age of 5! Thankfully we have friends and family like you that offer support and friendship when we need it most. And we need your help now.
Actual jug of discarded injections
Skye and Sam use each month!
(this is Skye’s, Sam has one too)
Although Sam has struggled with diabetes longer than Skye, he is only now at an age where he can comprehend the extent of the disease. Over the past month, Sam has approached Shannon in the kitchen and again at bedtime asking, "Mommy, can we pray to God and ask him to take away my diabetes? I don't want it anymore." Shannon was brave and waited until he left the room to let the tears flow.
Because of groups like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and research scientists around the world, our kids have a chance to live a healthy, albeit high-maintenance, life. Here’s how:
Major research advances have occurred in the past few years! Diabetes has been cured in mice in at least 4 ways and various human trials are beginning. Scientists legitimately believe a cure is possible before Sam and Skye’s lives come to an end. We ask you to help us find a cure by sponsoring or joining us on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007 at Granite Park at 5800 Granite Parkway, Plano, TX 75024 at 8:45 am. We have formed a team called “The Sam and Skye Walkers” (yep Mark and Bart came up with that) and we would like you to “join forces” with us to find a cure. Your contribution might make the difference in the one research laboratory where “the cure” will be achieved!
#1 Please join the Sam and Skye Walkers team, we would love to have you come walk with us September 29th The first 200 to register will get a limited edition Sam and Skye Walker Team T-shirt! You can join by selecting the “join this team” button at the Sam and Skye Walkers Team Page. When registering you will be asked for a goal amount, if you would just like to walk with us please enter "$0" that is fine with us!
#2 We are working together to raise funds. Log on to the Sam and Skye Walkers page and select “Donate to this Walker” and JDRF will accept credit card donations online! Your contributions are tax deductible.
If you prefer to write a check, please make checks payable to JDRF and send to The Sam and Skye Walkers PO Box 166317, Irving TX 75016-6317.
#3 Please forward this newsletter to your friends. Even if they do not know us, we want others to know more about diabetes. Did you know five years ago 1 in 750 children were diagnosed and presently the ratio has moved to 1 in 450? This is a disease others need to know about.
#4 Ask your company (or you as an individual) to sponsor and obtain recognition for your generosity. When you click “Join this Team,” simply click “Register as a Captain” under Sam and Skye Walkers to enable others to sign up and select you as their captain.
#5 Check with your place of business about charitable matching. Many business have programs to match your charitable gift.
Your donation could change the lives of nearly 3 million Americans (mostly children) and save our kids. Thank you! Mark and Jade, Bart and Shannon
Obesity is linked to type 2 diabetes. One of the problems we face everyday is people misunderstanding the differences between them. Type 2 diabetes means that your body is not producing enough insulin or the insulin is of poor quality and ineffective. Type 2 diabetes can be regulated with diet, exercise, and oral medications. While diet and exercise are also components of the Type 1 dietetics’ management, insulin cannot be produced and can only be given via injection.
Yes. Unlike Type 2 Diabetes where diet and exercise require careful control of sugar intake, this is not an absolute requirement for a Type 1 Diabetic. As long we measure the number of carbohydrates in any food (including high sugar foods), we can balance those carbohydrates with the appropriate amount of insulin required.
No. Sam and Skye will always have diabetes unless a cure is found. It is important to remember that insulin does not cure diabetes, it only keeps them alive by providing what the body cannot on it’s own. God made our bodies to be incredibly sophisticated. Our job as parents is to “think” like a pancreas and then “act” like one. It is truly amazing the amount of effort involved replicating this one function of one organ.
We must balance carbohydrates, insulin, and physical activity with uncontrollable variables such as illness, growth, exercise-level, excitement, and stress. Each day Sam and Skye are at risk of a drastic low blood sugar causing seizure or possibly death. It could only take one mistake on one morning or one afternoon or one night… or it might simply involve a random event in their bodies.
Pumps can be great because they potentially offer flexibility and allow for micro dosages to be administered in ways injections cannot. Pumps only change the way insulin is delivered, and have many disadvantages as well. The child must always be connected to the pump. Pumps require constant decision-making on part of the parent and/or child, increased number of blood checks, and the risk for diabetic shock increases. While some children do use the pump, our doctors have not recommended this as a suitable treatment at this time. I am sure in time we will be using a pump, but this only changes the method of delivering insulin, it is not a cure.
At the onset of diabetes glucose from carbohydrates (not just sugar) builds up in the blood. Insulin helps the body convert the glucose into energy. Since the insulin is not available to do this the glucose stays in the blood producing certain symptoms.
While scientists believe there is a genetic factor related to the onset of Type 1 diabetes, to our knowledge no parents, grandparents, or great grandparents in any family on either side have a Type 1 diagnosis.