"A Walk To Cure Diabetes"

Dear family and friends,
As most of you know, our little 2 year old Isaac was diagnosed with Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes on November 17, 2009. After recovering from the H1N1 virus in October, Isaac suddenly was very thirsty, irritable, hungry, tired, and just not himself. At first we thought maybe he was just going through a growth spurt but after several weeks of this we took him in to be tested for Diabetes. Sure enough, his blood sugar levels were dangerously high. An hour later we were overwhelmed with information about how to do finger pokes, insulin shots, counting carbohydrates, and the devastating things that can result even if diabetes is controlled well.

While having the health conditions of our other children helped ease the shock of this new lifestyle, it still has been difficult and there is not one minute of the day that we can forget about Diabetes or Isaac’s future with it. It will never go away and is a constant battle. Isaac gets 5 finger pokes a day to check his blood sugars and 4 insulin shots a day. He can’t eat when he really wants to or has to eat when he might not want to. We have to count carbs before eating and watch his activity level. It is always a balancing act to keep him within safe limits.

The insulin Isaac receives keeps him alive but it does not prevent the eventual life-threatening effects Diabetes has. That’s why we as a family are very excited to join the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in “A Walk to Cure Diabetes” at the Mall of America on Saturday, February 27th to help find a cure. JDRF is the world’s leading funder for Juvenile Diabetes research and they believe that we can find a cure in Isaac’s lifetime. Some of the most exciting things they are working on are new types of insulin that regulate themselves and only have to be given once a day; an artificial pancreas in effect. Also, a two-drug combination therapy that causes insulin producing cells to regenerate. These may be only a few years away.

As parents, we can only do so much for our children to ensure that they are safe, healthy and happy. Won’t you please join with us and help us do what we can not do alone? Find a cure for Diabetes! You can join our team – Isaac’s Posse - and walk with us at the Mall of America on February 27th, or you can make a tax-deductable contribution on-line by going to any one of the following links. No amount is too small!

Team Leader: Rebecca Zenn
Michael Zenn
Joshua Zenn
Matthew Zenn
Noah Zenn
Isaac Zenn
We know our goals are ambitious but we feel like this is the best way to ensure that we are doing all we can to fight for Isaac and the many others like him. Thank you so much for your support!

Sincerely,
Isaac and his Posse
Mike, Becky, Joshua, Matthew & Noah
**Please feel free to pass this along to your family and friends and help us spread the word.