Fourteen-Year-Old from Framingham to Represent Massachusetts at JDRF 2013 Children’s Congress

Gilad Waldman, age 14 of Framingham, has big plans for this summer.  He has been selected by JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to join other children from around the country in Washington, D.C. to remind their Members of Congress of the vital need to continue supporting research that aims to reduce the burden of type 1 diabetes (T1D) until a cure becomes available.

These children living with T1D—ages 4 to 17, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia—will visit the nation’s capital as delegates of the JDRF 2013 Children’s Congress from July 8 to 10.  Joining them will be six international delegates traveling from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.  The international delegates will partner with U.S. delegates to convey a clear message to the U.S. government that T1D is a global problem that requires a global effort.   

Gilad has shown dedication in every aspect of his life, including support of JDRF.  His commitment to diabetes research began after he was diagnosed at age 7.  Every year since his diagnosis, his dad participated in JDRF’s Ride to Cure Diabetes.  Despite his interest in the event, Gilad was not old enough to ride with his dad.  Instead of being discouraged, Gilad decided to host his own charity bike ride, “Taking Diabetes for A Ride,” in November 2011.  By involving his middle school and seeking out donations, he raised nearly $9,000 for JDRF.  Since then, Gilad has researched prevention methods, met with a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor to further learn about beta cell encapsulation and presented his research to his school district.  In addition to learning about and living with T1D, he enjoys sports and plays the clarinet, piano and guitar.  Gilad says, “I see Children’s Congress as yet another way I can actively advocate and do whatever it takes to ensure the continuation of the Special Diabetes Program.  We are now closer than ever before to finding a cure for T1D—or bringing about the prevention of it altogether.”

Children’s Congress, held every other summer, will once again be led by JDRF International Chairman Mary Tyler Moore, and will include congressional visits by the delegates and a Senate hearing, during which Ms. Moore and select delegates and advocates will testify on the need for continued funding for T1D research, under the theme of “Promise to Remember Me.”  This theme serves as a powerful call to lawmakers to remember the struggle of living with the disease, and the importance of supporting and funding T1D research. 

“These outstanding children and their families all understand, as I do, that type 1 diabetes tests us every day,” says Ms. Moore, who has had T1D for more than 40 years.  “Children’s Congress gives all of us a voice to urge Congress to increase its support of research, which is essential to reducing the burden of this disease on us and on our country.”

About Children’s Congress
The JDRF Children’s Congress program was inspired by 8-year-old Tommy Solo from Massachusetts in 1999.  He overheard adult JDRF volunteers talking about going to Washington, D.C. to talk to Congress, and thought it would be great if children could go, too, because their voice also needed to be heard.  Children’s Congress inspires lawmakers to remember the children who live with T1D when making decisions about medical research and voting on other important federal issues relating to diabetes.  The young delegates’ stories, told in their own words, are often more powerful than almost any other type of legislator education. 
Today, Children’s Congress brings 150 children with T1D, and one parent or guardian each, to Washington, D.C.  They come together as advocates to meet on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress and other key federal policymakers, to help educate them about the critical need for federal funding of T1D research.

To learn more about JDRF Children’s Congress, please visit http://cc.jdrf.org.

About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.  JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D.  JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.  As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries.  In 2012 alone, JDRF provided more than $110 million to T1D research.  More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education.  In 2012 Forbes magazine named JDRF one of its five All-Star charities, citing the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness.

For more information, please visit http://newengland.jdrf.org or call (781) 431-0700.