COMMON CAUSE

Chances are there’s a chill in the air as you read this. But as the holiday season approaches, our hearts are warm as we anticipate happy times with family and friends. And in this season of goodwill and good cheer, good causes gain a special appreciation. Inked indelibly into the calendars of many generous folks is the JDRF Illinois One Dream Gala.

Taking place December 9 at McCormick Place, this annual fundraiser supports type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the approximately 1.3 million people living with type 1 diabetes in the United States. Founded in 1970, JDRF is the leading international nonprofit fighting to cure type 1 diabetes, funding research in more than 20 countries and supporting insulin-aid efforts in the U.S. and around the world. The efforts of the Illinois chapter play a key role in supporting this work; last year’s gala alone raised $16 million.

The One Dream Gala, chaired by Alicea and Kayne Grau, features a lively auction and entertainment by the Goo Goo Dolls. And to bring home the reason for this festive gathering, organizers welcome key speakers, including this year’s “Fund a Cure Family,” Brian and Emilee Wolfe of Winnetka and their children Caroline, Sam, Evan, and Alex. “When we agreed to take on a leadership role, we asked our family and friends to stand with us to raise as much money as possible for this important cause,” says Brian. “And they stepped up big time—committing more than $150,000 to fund research in just 30 days.”

Although it can occur at any age, type 1 diabetes typically occurs in children and young adults. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss. It sometimes runs in families, so having a parent or sibling with the disease can increase the chance of developing it. Over time, type 1 diabetes can lead to a range of other health issues, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, and nerve damage.

Brian and Emilee’s 13-year-old son, Sam, received a diagnosis when he was 8. “It came as a total shock to us, as we had no family history of the disease,” says Emilee. “We were overwhelmed and scared. Sam’s body could no longer regulate his blood sugar, so we had to constantly monitor his glucose levels. This meant pricking his finger every two to three hours, sometimes even more often if his sugars were out of range. Meals became a math challenge—estimating the amount of carbohydrates he was consuming and then plugging that number into a formula to determine how much insulin was needed. And then there were all the other factors that affect blood sugar levels—including exercise, hormones, and stress. The first year was a challenging adjustment and we were thankful to have the support of our family and community to help us persevere through that period.”

Steering Sam’s care are Dr. Louis Philipson and Amy Hess-Fischl at University of Chicago’s Kovler Diabetes Center. “Knowing the challenges of dealing with a chronic illness,” notes Brian, “their team focuses on the human aspect of the disease, having therapists available to talk through issues that might arise. We have also been overwhelmed with the support of the local type 1 community. We now have friends—like Megan and Geoff Hoffmann who live nearby and are great leaders in the type 1 community—who we can reach out to for advice and support.”

Count JDRF among those that have helped the Wolfe family negotiate young Sam’s unexpected health challenge. “The team has been a huge form of support, meeting with us for coffees, providing helpful resources as we need them, and also informing us on the latest technological and research advances,” shares Emilee. “For people with type 1, the insulin-producing cells in their pancreas have been destroyed by immune assaults. Promising research on transplanting healthy islet cells, along with using drugs to delay the onset of the disease gives us hope that Sam and others with T1D will see a cure in their lifetimes. Brian and I recently celebrated our 20th anniversary and decided that as we plan for the next chapter of life, doing whatever we can to drive toward a cure for Sam, and so many others afflicted with type 1, will be one of the most important things we do together.”

For more information, visit jdrf.org.