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LOOMIS Becton Dickinson wants to help cure or find a better way to treat diabetes, so the medical equipment manufacturer supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

To do so, BD is sponsoring a 2K Color Fun Run July 1 in Loomis. It will begin at Loomis High School and will end at the communitys water park.

Usually, we sponsor an event inside the plant, but we decided to do something different this year, said Holdrege BD employee and event leader Sheri Freeland.

Donations will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Lincoln and Greater Nebraska Chapter to create a world without type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which a persons pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone people need to get energy from food.

The disease can suddenly strike both children and adults. Type 1 diabetes is unrelated to diet or lifestyle. People with type 1 diabetes must regularly monitor their blood-sugar levels, inject or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully regulate insulin doses with eating and activity 24 hours a day.

The juvenile diabetes foundation funds research to deliver new treatments and therapies that make day-to-day life with diabetes easier, safer and healthier until it can prevent and one day cure the disease.

After hearing a speech from 13-year-old Riley Kinnan, who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 7, Freeland knew leading this event was something she wanted to do.

(Her speech) was interesting and motivating. Since Ive worked (at BD) for 36 years, I felt like I should do something, and I knew this was a great way to help out, said Freeland.

Riley, an eighth-grader to be from Lincoln, is an ambassador for the juvenile diabetes foundation. She is very passionate about helping younger children, especially those who are also dealing with the challenges of a diabetes diagnosis.

In the past, BD has sponsored diabetes foundation events such as chili cookoffs, salsa-making contests, hamburger feeds and silent auctions. It has sponsored the juvenile diabetes foundation for six or seven years.

There are 30 people signed up for the Color Run, and Freeland said she has already sold 80 T-shirts for the occasion. All proceeds are going to the juvenile diabetes foundation, and BD is matching the money raised.

Freeland said she is grateful for the number of people who have signed up so far to participate.

We werent sure if we would have enough people or money to put this event together, but we ended up having many volunteers and people in the community willing to help out.

With continued publicity for the event, Freeland hopes to help those suffering with diabetes.

Its a scary disease, and it can affect so young. There are kids that are 2 or even younger that have it, and its terrifying to think about how many shots to have daily and watching what you eat constantly. Its not like you can take a pill and make it go away. For kids, it just sucks, Freeland said.

Go here to read the rest:
BD fun run to benefit juvenile diabetes research - Kearney Hub

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