January 22, 2011

Hello Friends and Family,

This letter comes to you today with much heart felt emotion, passion and love to do something for the good of all people who suffer from the disease, Diabetes.   Specifically, I want to raise money to help find a cure and help educate people about  this unforgiving disease that both my husband, Richard, and my oldest son, Griffin, have had to learn how to live with everyday of their lives.

As I write this letter today, we are approaching the one year anniversary of the diagnosis of Griffin having Insulin-Dependent Diabetes (also referred to as Type 1 diabetes or Juvenile Diabetes).   Since that day, January 29, 2010 he has stuck his fingers more than 2,500 times and adjusted to life with an insulin pump attached to him 24 hours a day to help regulate his blood sugars.   This is also the same scenario for Richard, but he has had Type 1 diabetes since April, 1991 and is a wonderful mentor and father for Griffin.   Some days they compete about who has the best blood sugar number and they both teach each other about how to handle different aspects of living with diabetes.   Whether it be how to prepare for a long run or lacrosse game or how to manage getting a high blood sugar down with the right amount of insulin or the best way to treat a low blood sugar, they are instrumental to each other and managing their diabetes.   

As a mom and wife to these two amazing guys, I am so very proud of them, but sometimes I feel at a loss for what I can do to help and support them.   I do not know what they are going through as I do not have diabetes, but there is not a day that goes by that our family does not think about finding a cure for diabetes, educating others about diabetes and how we can be advocates for this disease that affects 23.6 million children and adults in the United States.  

This year I am committed to running for this cause in honor of Griffin and Richard.   I am training to run the Richmond Marathon on November 12, 2011.  Leading up to that race I will also be running a half marathon this Spring with a few 5K and 10K races over the summer.   This is no small task for me as I have just started distance running in September, 2010, but I am going to push myself to give it my all and do my best just as every person living with diabetes does each day.

I hope that each of you will support me with a donation to The American Diabetes Association TEAM DIABETES through my team RUNNING FOR A CURE.    Each dollar I raise will be used in the fight to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.  Making a 100% tax-deductible donation can be done online through my TEAM DIABETES webpage at http://main.diabetes.org/goto/runningforacure and clicking on the "support" button.  You can make a difference!

Thank you in advance for your help and please feel free to forward my webpage on to other friends who might be interested in supporting me and the American Diabetes Association by contributing to RUNNING FOR A CURE.    I will keep you posted on my progress throughout the year!  

Running for a Cure,

Hunter Rogers

Updated:  February 12, 2012

Next Race:  RunRaleigh Half Marathon April, 15, 2012

Updated:  April 15, 2012

Next Race:  Marine Corps Marathon  Sunday, October 28, 2012