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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

 Every year, students at United Day School do their very best to help raise awareness and funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; this year will be no exception as they get ready for this year’s 2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes fundraiser event.

 On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., the school, located at San Isidro Parkway at McPherson will welcome The Great American Cookie Man, as they host a school walk to help raise funds to help JDRF.  Earlier this month, the students had a JDRF T-Shirt Contest to see who could design the best t-shirt design promoting this year’s Walk theme:  Rock the Cure.  UDS students’ fellow classmate, Stacy Garza, has lived with Type 1 Diabetes for some time and this event is especially important to the kids, to not only help raise money for a cure, but to show support for their friend Stacy.

 This year’s walk promises to be one of the best ever, as it is the easiest way for anyone in the community to help raise funds for this worthy cause.  This 5K Walk (three miles) is two complete loops around the beautiful grounds of TAMIU.  People can register on their own or as a team at www.walk.jdrf.org (Register for Laredo Walk) or inside the TAMIU Student Activity Center starting at 8:00 a.m.  The Walk begins at 9:00 a.m. on the east side of the Student Activity Center and participants simply walk to collect pledges for the cause.  There will be entertainment, a children’s corner, team T-shirt contest and other festivities during the event. 

 Douglas Gonzalez, H-E-B Director of Retail Operation for the Southwest region is the 2012 Corporate Walk Chair.  This year’s Walk is dedicated in memory of Curtis Grace, a Type I Diabetic and retired H-E-B Unit Director. 

 Laredoans never fail to show their desire to help worthy causes in their community. JDRF extends a special “Thank you!” to this year’s Walk sponsors: Title Sponsor: H-E-B; Event Sponsor: Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust; Host Sponsor: Texas A&M International University; Gold Sponsors: IBC and Wal-Mart (Loop 20 Store); Silver Sponsors: Laredo Medical Center and Sam’s Wholsale; Bronze Sponsors: Great American Cookie; Texas Community Bank; PLACAS Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club from Eagle Pass and SAMSONS.

 Diabetes afflicts 1.7 million children and adults in Texas alone, many who live in Laredo. Funds raised from sponsorships and attendees of the annual Walk to Cure Diabetes will go towards research to find a CURE for this debilitating disease.  Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation portfolio of diabetes research is among the largest in the world focused on cures and better treatments for type 1diabetes and its complications. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children adolescents, adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. The goal is to improve the lives of every person affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D.

 T1D is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and lasts a lifetime. At the present, there is no way to prevent it, and, until a cure is found, people with T1D need to test their blood sugar and give themselves inuslin multiple times per day – everyday for the rest of their lives.. Although T1D is a serious and difficult disease, treatment options are improving all the time, and people with T1D can lead full active lives.

 Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.5 billion to T1D research. More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research related education. Past JDRF research efforts have helped to significantly improve the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered.

 For more information, visit the JDRF web site at:  http://sctx-jdrf.org/laredo/