Cyclists pedal to find diabetes cure
Heading to New York City and across the country, some local bicyclists are riding extreme distances to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes.
Posted — UpdatedJimmy Dodson has included an insulin pump and glucose monitor as part of his biking gear ever since he was diagnosed with diabetes at age 19.
"When I was diagnosed, we were still in that time frame when everybody said diabetics can't do certain things, so there is a group of Type 1 (diabetes) athletes who all got started basically to prove that mantra wrong," Dotson said.
The duo rode in a similar event in Death Valley, where it was 102 degrees.
"Right now, there is no cure, so these folks like Jimmy Dodson who I am riding with, they have to give themselves insulin to stay alive," Krieman said.
Approximately 3 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes, and more than 40 children are diagnosed with it each day. According to JDRF, about 1 in 20 people with the disease will die from low blood sugar.
Personal reasons drive Christiane Johnstone, a competitive cyclist and recent North Carolina State University graduate, to even more extreme feats.
"I've just seen the stress it puts on a family," he said. "I just think I might as well do my part and help others out."
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