Dear Friends and Family,
I’d like to introduce you to one of my very best friends. Her name is Jillian (aka “Sissy”) and she’s 2½ years old. She lives surrounded by love and laughter at home with her twin brotherJackson (aka “Chico
I’d like to introduce you to one of my very best friends. Her name is Jillian (aka “Sissy”) and she’s 2½ years old. She lives surrounded by love and laughter at home with her twin brother
Even though we aren’t actually related by birth, we fell in love with each other the moment we first met when Mark and I first went to visit her Mommy in the hospital when she was born. Now it warms my heart to know that she calls me “Auntie”, and I hope she looks forward to our weekly play dates as much as I do.
She’s a happy, curious, affectionate, fun-loving “girly-girl” that enjoys playing with her brother, playing hide & seek, singing, dancing, mani-pedi’s, yoga, taking bubble baths, playing dress-up, pillow fights, flowers, reading books and helping Auntie cook. Another favorite game is to wait patiently on the bench by the front door with her eyes covered, telling Chico to “shh!shh!shh!” when she hears Uncle Mark coming home from work, only to yell, “SURPRISE!!!” as Uncle opens the door and she jumps into his arms with a giggle! Somehow, the surprise seems to work every time.
On April 14th, she was diagnosed with Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes. From that day forward, the carefree, happy-go-lucky childhood we had hope she would enjoy disappeared - only to be replaced by a new reality. Instead of joining her brother here at our home for our weekly visit, they were separated for the first time ever as she spent the next few days at Valley Children’s Hospital with her mommy and daddy as they all learned how to count carbs and decipher all the other intricacies required in managing this condition. She and her family now face a new, strict daily regimen committed to scrupulous attention to everything she eats, followed by frequent finger pokes to monitor her blood sugar levels followed by insulin injections as needed to keep her glucose in check.
Being the resilient, fiercely independent little woman-child that she is, she has adapted to these new circumstances with her usual determination and bravery. When faced with any challenge, she finds a way to conquer it herself. I honestly can’t remember ever hearing her say, “I can’t”, without a request for help – but only when absolutely necessary. She can’t fix this by herself. She needs our help.
On May 22nd, Uncle Mark and I will be joining Team Jillian in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. I urge you to help us in this worthy cause in any way your heart leads. Whether it is by joining us in the walk, or making a donation of any size (including corporate sponsorship for those of you so inclined), every bit of support you choose to offer is needed and greatly appreciated.
My dream for Jillian and all others like her is that one day there will be a cure for this condition that will allow her the freedom once more to live a life unencumbered by the needles, rules and regulations that come with living with diabetes. Great strides have been made in research, and there is every hope that this can happen within our lifetime, and most certainly within Jillian’s lifetime. With our help, that day can come sooner rather than later. Together we can make a bigger difference faster.
Please go to: http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=87676829 and help us create a NEW reality for Jillian and all others like her.
If the above link doesn’t work for you, simply go to:
http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=walk.home
Be sure and select Team Jillian in
With much love and gratitude,
Auntie Valarie (and Uncle Mark, too!)
