INSIDE
Westchester County Fairfield County Hudson Valley
July 2015
D I S C O V E R I E S
T
he 2015 walk season has been an-
nounced with an excing new look
and feel. We are delighted to share the
news that the JDRF Walk to Cure Dia-
betes is now JDRF One Walk™. This
new branding of our agship fundrais-
ing event has a clear plan of emphasiz-
ing JDRF’s mission, cre-
ang awareness for
T1D and, ulmately,
fundraising to create a
world without T1D.
Across the country,
the JDRF walk program
makes a huge impact
on the money that is
raised for T1D re-
search. The chapter
has set a fundraising
goal of more than
$900,000 for 2015.
JDRF One Walks are expected to draw
an enthusiasc crowd of all ages, driven
to support a great cause, while enjoying
an event that includes food, entertain-
ment, mission messages, kids and adult
acvies and most importantly empha-
sizing a true sense of a T1D community.
We hope to see you at this year’s One
Walks! Registraon is now open. Visit
walk.jdrf.org or contact Marcia Maslo
at 203-854-0658 for more informaon.
Learn more about what you’ll see at
our One Walks on page 3.
We're the
walk the walk
type
Walk to Cure Diabetes is One Walk
F
or the past four years, Empire City Casino at Yonkers Race-
way has been the presenng sponsor and host of the Walk
program for the
JDRF Westchester
Walk. The race track
serves as a unique
desnaon for this
celebraon,
aracng over
3,500 parcipants
and walkers. Empire
City Casino’s deep
involvement with
the JDRF Walk pro-
gram stems from
Vice President and General Manager, Robert Galterio, and his
daughter, Cara, who was diagnosed with T1D at age 9. Twelve
departments, including nance, security, housekeeping and
markeng, rally around this annual event, creang individual
department walk teams and raising funds in support of JDRF.
Since 2013, Empire City Casino has raised over $170,000 for
JDRF. The morning of the walk, the Empire City Casino sta are
on hand and they volunteer their me to assist in all aspects
of the set-up of the event. “We are so lucky to have the sup-
port of Bob and all his employees,” said Margie Ostrower,
JDRF Faireld/Westchester County Execuve Director. The day
is full of excitement and it oers a sense of community for
those impacted by T1D. “Empire City Casino is a true partner
in every sense of the word; their generosity knows no
bounds,” Ostrower said.
Empire City Casino Takes Steps to a Cure
One Walk Schedule
Norwalk
Sunday, September 27
Brien McMahon High School
Beacon
Saturday, October 3
Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park
Ridgeeld
Sunday, October 4
Ridgeeld Recreaon Center
Yonkers
Sunday, October 18
Empire City Casino, Yonkers Raceway
New
Locaon
Gala Recap 4-6 Kids Walks 9
Research News 11-13
Thousands came out to celebrate our progress
to type none at Empire City Casino in 2014.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 2
Calendar of Events
Children’s Congress
July 13 to 15
Washington DC
Peace, Love, Cure
Fun, tness, and friends for a Cure
Tuesday, July 14
Sunningdale Country Club, Scarsdale NY
Best of Westchester
Wednesday, July 22
Glen Island Harbour Club, New Rochelle NY
Hudson Valley Meet & Greet
Tuesday, July 28
Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, Poughkeepsie NY
Adult T1D Meet-Up
Thursday, September 10
Maple Oak Reserve Clubhouse, Straord, CT
One Walk - Norwalk
Sunday, September 27
Brien McMahon High School, Norwalk CT
One Walk - Beacon
Saturday, October 3
Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park, Beacon NY
One Walk - Ridgeeld
Sunday, October 4
Ridgeeld Recreaon Center, Ridgeeld CT
One Walk - Yonkers
Sunday, October 18
Empire City Casino-Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers NY
Paint-A-Pumpkin Fall Fesval
Sunday, October 18
(rain date Sunday, October 25)
Halas Farm Market, Danbury CT
T1 Enlightenment
Thursday, November 5
Planet Earth
To keep up-to-date on all our
events, visit our website and
don’t forget to bookmark it!
Talks Focus on Research
Special thanks to Dr. Weinzimer & Dr. Insel
D
r. Stuart Weinzimer, of the Yale
Pediatric Diabetes Clinic, joined us
on Thursday, April 30 at the Darien
Library in Darien CT. Dr. Weinzimer’s
Arcial Pancreas Update enthralled
the over 80 people in aendance. He
caught us up on the research being
done at Yale as well as around the
world. Sciensts
are making great
strides, with the
help of industry
partners and fund-
ing from JDRF, in
the development
of an arcial pan-
creas, smarter
insulins and im-
proved glucose
monitoring.
The Chapter’s annual meeng and
research update took place on June 1
at the Greenwich Public Library. In
addion to Board elecons and volun-
teer awards, Dr. Richard Insel provided
a research update on the current pro-
jects funded by JDRF highlighng
many excing advancements in the
areas of encapsulaon, restoraon
and the arcial
pancreas. The
presentaon was
educaonal, in-
spiring and pro-
vided an oppor-
tunity for JDRF
supporters to
learn more about
how JDRF is at the
forefront of T1D
research funding .
Dr. Stuart Weinzimer
Dr. Richard Insel
Photos contributed by Mary Harold Click here to learn more about JDRF research.
Chapter News
S
ummer is nally here, we hope that you and your family will nd me to relax
and enjoy the warm weather. The summer is a wonderful me for the chap-
ter. Since June 30 is the end of the scal year, it is always a good me to reect on
the year just past and gear up for the new one just beginning. The Chapter’s annual
meeng was an ideal opportunity to do just that. A special presentaon was made
to honor the outstanding work and service of outgoing Board members. We thank
Theresa Fox for her two years as advocacy chair. She did a wonderful job on this im-
portant part of our eorts and now will be turning the reins over to Barbara Arman
and we wish Barbara well in this new role. We also send out special thanks to
Max Gaujean for his two years as Westchester board chair and welcome Mike Bieber
into his new role as board chair. New board members in the chapters are eager to
get started as well. In Faireld, joining the Board are Art Rosenberg of Wilton,
Astrid Weismann of Westport and Liz Kenny of Stamford. In Westchester, we wel-
come Susan Ginsberg of Scarsdale, Theresa Stagg of Purchase and Jen D’Errico of
Mamaroneck. We know that these new volunteer leaders will help connue the
growth of our chapter.
As One Walk programs are being introduced here and around the country, we hope
you are geng excited about the new program changes. JDRF walkers everywhere
are feeling more connected to the mission and their dedicaon to team fundrais-
ing. Our kicko was held last month and the aendees walked away feeling really
movated. The introducon of volunteer coaches to help with team development is
a new concept and supports the success path of “peer to peer” fundraising. Please
reach out to the sta to help you get started or to push for your goal!
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 3
A Sneak Peek of the New One Walk
Raise $1,000 and you’ll receive your V1P Badge
on Walk Day!
Bring your family and friends to celebrate the amazing progress we’ve made toward a world without T1D!
Come on out and tell us what
type you are!
O
ne Walk features include
a New Family team tent
where rst me Walk teams
can pick up their bandannas, a
special blue t-shirt for parci-
pants with T1D, and a V1P tent
for top fundraisers and walk
teams. That’s where you’ll pick
up you V1P lanyards for raising
$1,000! Walk day will also fea-
ture mission-based family ac-
vies, including a Type None
(N) Wall where walkers can
decorate the N helping us to
turn type one into type none
and an “I’m the ___ type”
gra wall where you can
share what type you are by
lling in the blank.
Are you the raise $5,000 type, the stronger
together type, the we can do this type?
Stop by the Type Wall to let us know!
First me family walk teams can stop
by the New Family tent to pick up
their bandanna!
Even the lilest
ones can show
their support!
Stop in at the Type None Wall, adorn your N
with creave air and join others helping to
turn type one into type none!
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 4
Black & White Gala
O
ur annual JDRF Spring Gala was held
on Saturday, April 25 at the Hyatt
Regency Greenwich where more than
300 guests gathered together to honor
Dr. Rubina A. Heptulla of the Children’s
Hospital at Montefiore, our 2015 Found-
ers Award recipient for her leadership in
pediatric endocrinology and T1D re-
search, and to raise over $500,000.
Cliff Scherb, founder of Glucose Advisors,
joined us as our evening’s Fund A Cure
speaker. Cliff spoke from the heart about
his appreciation for JDRF and our contin-
uing efforts to fund research that enables
all those with T1D to live, excel and thrive
despite the daily burden. He also stressed
that as the finish line gets closer, support
is needed now more than ever.
Our guests enjoyed the elegant Black &
White affair which included a silent auc-
tion filled with wonderful items from
jewelry to Yankee tickets to exotic travel
packages and much more. The live auc-
tion proved ever popular as bidding wars
broke out over the many desirable pack-
ages and Fund A Cure bidding brought us
closer to our goal of turning type one into
type none.
Even those who could not make it to the
gala were able to participate in the auc-
tion excitement. Cell phone technology
provided the perfect platform for those
at home to view the silent auction items
place bids and monitor the status of
their bids. Proxy bidding during the live
auction and Fund A Cure was also availa-
ble this year.
Another new feature was the online
journal which allowed people to send a
message of support to someone or to
promote their business by purchasing an
ad. The journal is available all year long
and businesses will have increased traf-
fic to their websites since the ads are
linked directly through to their websites.
Special thanks to our wonderful gala
committee chairs for their tireless effort
to make the evening both successful
and entertaining: Dahlia Swerdloff,
Entertainment; Barbara Arman, Auction;
Jennifer D’Errico and Felicia DePaola,
Journal; Jessica Lynch, Kid’s Art Project;
and Randi Marino, Public Relations.
Additional thanks to all our committee
members, dedicated volunteers, spon-
sors and donors.
Our families, children and loved ones
thank everyone who contributed to the
spectacular success of this year’s Black
& White Gala. Mark your calendars for
the 2016 Gala on Saturday, May 7 at the
Hyatt Regency Greenwich. If you would
like to join our growing committee, con-
tact Stephen Gnojewski to learn more.
Photos contributed by Benjamin Coen and Heather E. Smith. Click here to view more Black & White Gala photos
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 5
Catlin Group | Montefiore Medical Center | Robert and Susan Evans
Lawrence & Bonnie Kivel | Brown, Gruttadaro, Gaujean, Prato, LLC | Brian & Robyn Fagen
Desmond & Laura Hussey | William Null & Lauren Thaler | Frank & Jody Osborn
Robert & Bobbi Reitzes | Scherb & Satriano Families | Paul & Astrid Weismann
Health RX Pharmacy | D'Errico Jewelry | Robert & Judy Bernstein
The Charles Pharmacy & Surgical | Health RX Pharmacy | Christopher & Lisa Reilly
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
Bronze Sponsors:
Gift Bag Sponsors:
Special thanks to our generous Black & White gala sponsors
Photos contributed by Benjamin Coen and Heather E. Smith. Click here to view more Black & White Gala photos.
An Elegant Affair to Advance Research
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 6
Garden of Hope Sows Seeds for a Cure
O
n Friday, May 15, the Powelton Club in Newburgh NY pro-
vided a beauful seng for the Hudson Valley Garden of
Hope Gala which raised over $55,000 for T1D research. 125
guests joined together to welcome Marty Rutberg, Corporate
Honoree, and Giovanni Scappin, T1D Advocate. The evening's
fesvies kicked o with cocktails and a silent aucon which
featured a myriad of items ranging from excing experiences to
beauful jewelry.
Aer the cocktail hour, the guests headed into the dining room
where Master of Ceremonies, Joe Daily, introduced our hon-
ored guests. Marty Rutberg eloquently expressed his apprecia-
on of and reasons for supporng JDRF: the posive dierence
that JDRF makes in the lives of people and families living with
T1D. Giovanni Scappin spoke of how his culinary knowledge has
grown since meeng his ancé and her daughter, Apple, who
was diagnosed 4 years ago.
The Live Aucon proved to be both entertaining and successful
as Chuck Benfer, our Auconeer, engaged the crowd with hu-
mor and a bit of compeveness. His talented daughter, Eliza,
gave a moving rendion of Don’t Rain on My Parade. Aer the
live aucon, Alan and Mollie Allard shared their individual and
collecve experience as our evening’s Fund A Cure speakers.
Alan, diagnosed at the age of 9, expressed his amazement at
the progress and developments in T1D management that have
occurred over the past 38 years. Mollie related what it has
been like for her to share this disease with her dad and her
friends from diabetes camp. Their posive atudes and ability
to see a bright side to living with T1D was truly inspiring.
JDRF expresses their gratude and thanks to the gala co-chairs,
Heather Arteta and Corinne Mondesando, for their energy and
all the hard work that went into making this event so success-
ful, fun and entertaining. Special thanks to our Dream Sponsor:
Breslow Personal Injury Law, and our Wish Sponsors: Orange
Regional Medical Center, iHeart Media of the Hudson Valley,
and Vanikios Group.
JDRF also wishes to thank all our volunteers, aendees, and
supporters for their dedicaon to our mission and we hope to
see you at our 2016 Hudson Valley Gala on Friday, June 3.
Photos contributed by Tom LaBarbera. Click here to view more Garden of Hope Gala photos.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 7
Catwalk 5 An Afternoon of Fashion, Food & Friends for a Cure
Peace, Love, Cure
J
oin us for the second annual Peace,
Love, Cure on Tuesday, July 14 at
Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale NY.
This morning of fun, tness, and friends
allows guests to choose their acvity.
Everyone has the opon to parcipate in
tennis, yoga, or new this year, FitWalk.
Not up for morning acvies? Be a Relax-
er and spend the morning hanging out on
the lawn enjoying the fresh air and beau-
ful surroundings. Check in begins at 9 am
with a light breakfast. Following the two
hours of acvity is a luncheon and the
chance to win various rae prizes, includ-
ing tness classes and local restaurant
cercates.
Special thanks to Debbie Zimmerman for
donang her me as the yoga instructor,
and to Tracey Gerety for donang her
me to add FitWalk to the list of acvies
this year!
In its rst year, this event completely
sold out so get your ckets fast so that
you won’t miss any of the fun! Ticket
prices are $150. For further infor-
maon and to purchase ckets please
visit our website directly at jdrf.org/
plc, or contact Kaitlyn Vadenais at 203-
854-0658 or kvad[email protected].
You can start your day with yoga!
Tennis oers fun and compeon!
FitWalk will get your heart rate going!
Commiee members Rochelle Waldman,
Terry Zingham and Gail Sirota are plan-
ning an excing morning!
D
espite the cold and snow outside
the Loading Dock in Stamford CT on
March 5, the h annual Catwalk fash-
ion show was a spring celebraon. This
year’s event raised over $88,000 bring-
ing the 5 year total to over $459,000!
The Chapter’s aernoon of fashion,
food, and friends included a runway
fashion show lled with spring and sum-
mer styles sponsored by Saks Fih Ave-
nue of Greenwich. Vineyard Vines was
the men’s fashion sponsor.
This luncheon also featured an “IT Bag”
rae, showcasing a selecon of the
season’s must-have handbags including
Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci,
Louis Vuion, and Victoria Beckham
among others, and a very special live
aucon package for a day at Marie
Claire.
Thank you to all our sponsors, including
Abigail Kirsch at the Loading Dock, Saks
Fih Avenue of Greenwich, Beiersdorf,
D’Errico Jewelers, Deutsch Family Wine
& Spirits, Faireld County LOOK, Mantra
Mind Body, Nestle Waters, Serendipity
Magazine, Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes,
and Vineyard Vines.
Special thanks to our Catwalk co-chairs,
Jennifer Fitzpatrick and Anastasia Brien,
and to the enre commiee for another
successful year!
Special guests
Victoria Scoeld
& Danielle Dunn,
best friends with
T1D, shared their
stories with the
audience.
Anastasia Brien and Jennifer Fitzpatrick,
event co-chairs, gave a warm welcome to
the gathered aendees.
Save the date for Catwalk 6 to be held
on Thursday, March 10, 2016.
Saks Fih Avenue’s spring and summer fash-
ions graced Catwalk’s runway.
Click here to view more 2015 Catwalk photos
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 8
Runners Take on a Challenge for JDRF
Ride to Cure Diabetes
A Rider Perspective by Ash Reifler, JDRF Hudson Valley
O
ur rst daughter, Kelsey, was a
dream come true for my husband
and me—a perfectly healthy bundle of
giggles and joy. We could not imagine
her experiencing any hardships that we
could not protect her from. When she
was in kindergarten she had some
symptoms that made me suspect that
she had a bladder infecon, so I took
her to our pediatrician. When the doc-
tor asked me to step out of the exam
room to tell me that she had T1D, I
went into funconal shock.
My husband and I had no idea what
T1D was and we were just petried
that there was something wrong with
our lile girl. We ended up in the ER
and we stayed in the hospital for ve
days. I was a basket case and she was a
rockstar—and sll is to this day.
We rst got involved with JDRF when
we created “Kelsey’s Dream Team” for
JDRF One Walk. The last Walk we did
was when Kelsey was in high school
and the Marist football team walked
with us—as did many of her friends.
Although Kelsey moved on to other
charitable causes once she began col-
lege, I decided to connue my fund-
raising eorts. So when I got wind of
the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes, I decid-
ed to make a statement. If Kelsey could
live everyday with the overwhelming
challenges of T1D, I could certainly train
and push through some discomfort to
prepare for the Ride!
My rst JDRF Ride was in 2010 in Bur-
lington, VT and it was awesome. It was
thrilling to be part of such a posive
community and I was so inspired by the
dedicaon of everyone at the event—
from the organizers and the riders, to
the amazing volunteers and the specta-
tors cheering us on. I was so impressed
with how well it was run and with all
the support we received along the way.
The next year I did the JDRF Tucson, AZ
Ride which was a dierent chal-
lenge...much larger, more miles and a
dierent vibe since it is a ride that sup-
ports many dierent charies.
In 2012, I parcipated in the Burlington,
VT Ride for the second me and it really
felt like coming home. I love that Ride—
the inmacy and support are unparal-
leled. I am training for the Burlington
Ride again this year, and although I
have surpassed my fundraising mini-
mum, I am far from reaching my goal! I
hope to do another JDRF Ride in a
dierent locaon next year and keep
on pedaling for JDRF and our daughter.
Ash has raised over $8,700 so far for
the Burlington Ride this year—pung
her in the Top 10 across all locaons!
For informaon about the Ride pro-
gram, contact Jill Waller at 914-686-
7700 or jwaller@jdrf.org.
There’s sll me to register. Click here
for the 2015 Ride schedule.
Hudson Valley rider, Ash Reier
O
n Sunday, May 18 more than 350 runners came out to parcipate in the
fourth annual Mild Sprain Trail Run at Sprain Ridge Park, Yonkers NY. The day
was lled with excitement as runners tested their trail run skills aer a rainy night.
The event raised over $109,000 for T1D research, bringing the 4 year total to over
$332,000! This year, A Mild Sprain became a part of the Trail Mix Races, a series of
six races in Westchester and Faireld Counes, which helped to increase T1D
awareness and funds for research.
Special thanks to the event co-chairs David Vogel and Brant Brooks, both of Scars-
dale, who started A Mild Sprain in memory of David’s father who lived with T1D
and to support their friends in the community who also live with this disease. JDRF
also extends thanks to the event sponsors, volunteers and runners.
Click here to view the 2015 race photos or visit amildsprain.org
Mark your calendars for the h annual Mild Sprain on Sunday, May 22, 2016. For
more informaon, please contact Jill Waller at jwa[email protected]
Brant Brooks and David Vogel greet the runners.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES 9
Difference Makers: Kids Walk for a Cure
T
he 2014-2015 Kids Walk season
started o on a high note last fall
with the return of Osville Elementary
School and their record-breaking fund-
raising total of $12,600! Parcipang for
the seventh year in a row, the students
of Osville Elementary set the stage for
an incredible year of Kids Walks in the
Hudson Valley and throughout our Fair-
eld/Westchester Chapter. The program
wrapped up in late June with another
amazing eort on the part of East School
in New Canaan, where students raised
$11,212 in just one week!
In between presentaons at Osville
and East School, the program grew to
include a pilot high school internship
project that took on a life of its own.
During the winter months, seven high
school students signed on as Kids Walk
interns, taking on the task of presenng
the program to ve area schools.
Thanks to the incredible cooperaon of
their respecve districts, high schools
and elementary schools, the interns
brought the program to life for more
than 2,500 students who collecvely
raised $13,000 for JDRF’s mission.
Great things happened at Tashua Ele-
mentary School this year when stu-
dents there took the principal’s chal-
lenge: raise $7,500 and Principal
Neumeyer would agree to take the Egg
Crack Challenge. The students of
Tashua immediately stepped up, raising
more than $7,800 and Principal
Neumeyer kept her promise. She,
along with her enre sta, cracked eggs
over their heads much to the delight of
their students.
A special thank you goes out to all of
those schools who returned to parci-
pate in the Kids Walk this year, includ-
ing McKinley, Meeng House Hill,
Booth Hill, Plaekill, Berea and Myers
Corners Elementary School along with
High Horizons Magnet School. And, to
our rst me parcipants - Lenape
Elementary, Fishkill Plains, Oak Grove,
Gayhead, Violet Avenue and Nichols
Elementary School – thank you all for
being Dierence Makers!
Learn more about JDRF’s Kids Walk
program by vising us online at
kidswalk.jdrf.org or by contacng Joan
Benz at 203-854-0658 or Jean Marie
Trick at 914-606-0513.
Booth Hill PE teacher, Nicole Swercewski,
used a creave way to promote their 5th
annual JDRF Kids Walks to Cure Diabetes.
Stormy skies did not deter the Osville students
from parcipang in their JDRF Kids Walk and
to celebrate their fundraising success.
Tashua students rose
to the challenge from
their principal, Mrs.
Neumeyer, and they
raised over $7,500,
seng the stage for
a mass egg crack for
her and her sta.
Our Hudson Valley Kids Walk Interns
Alison & Lourdes
Briany
Cassandra & Michaela Sarah & Kelsey
Meeng House students send a shout out to
their number 1 during their 4th annual Kids
Walk to Cure Diabetes.
Nichols students share what they
learned from the Kids Walk program.
Photos contributed by Mary Harold, Jean Marie Trick and Joan Benz.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES
HEALTH
MATTERS
Beyond Insulin: What
Should You Know?
By Lindsey Bewley Ryan
W
hen most people with T1D think
about hormones, insulin is usually
the rst one that comes to mind—people
with T1D use it daily to survive. But it
takes more than just insulin to regulate
blood-glucose levels. Hormones act as
chemical messengers in the human
body—they are released by a cell, organ,
or gland into the bloodstream to control
the acvity of certain cells or organs.
Those that aid in metabolism and diges-
on play a key role in blood-glucose
maintenance. Insulin may be the popular
hormone on the block, but there are sev-
eral unsung heroes of blood-glucose con-
trol that are crucial to the human body—
and especially in people with T1D.
Glucose control is a delicate (and oen
confusing) dance between hormones pro-
duced by the pancreas, small intesne (or
“gut”), and even fat cells. Hence, a vital
focus for JDRF is developing beer treat-
ments that “reset” the missing hormonal
balance, and thus transform the way peo-
ple with T1D treat the disease today to
help them live healthier lives now and in
the future. For instance, JDRF-funded sci-
ensts are in the beginning stages of de-
velopment of a glucose-responsive insulin
(GRI) that would work only when the body
needs it. GRI would deliver the precise
amount of insulin in response to circu-
lang glucose levels to control and main-
tain normal blood-glucose levels through-
out a daily roune with once-daily or less
frequent dosing.
Click here to connue reading Lindsey’s
arcle in the JDRF Health Issues Blog.
Lindsey Bewley Ryan is a science writer for
JDRF.
Taking a Shot
...a column dedicated to the outstanding achievements
of our chapter children
S
arah Ilany, a 13-year-old from Armonk NY, is
fairly new to the world of T1D. Diagnosed
less than two years ago, she has already made
her mark in the world as a T1D advocate. In April,
Sarah received the 2015 JR Tesone Youth Public
Health Service Award from the Westchester
County Board of Health for her advocacy and
fundraising on behalf of young people living with
T1D. This presgious award was presented by
Robert Astorino, Westchester County Execuve.
Sarah created her Instagram account, Blood Sug-
ar Cookies, where she shares photos and cap-
ons that capture the awkward and frustrang
aspects of living with T1D with other teenagers. In addion to creang this
opportunity for teens with T1D to connect and to raise awareness, Sarah is
also an amazing fundraiser. Last fall, she and her friend, Niki, recruited
friends and family to join their Blood Sugar Cookies walk team at the JDRF
Yonkers walk where they raised over $6,000. Quite a feat for a rst year
team!
The JDRF Boards and sta congratulate Sarah on her accomplishments thus
far and we look forward to seeing what is next as well. Thank you, Sarah,
for your support and commitment to the mission of JDRF.
10
Sarah Ilany and Robert Astorino,
Westchester County Execuve.
What It Takes
David White, Rookie of the Year
L
ike many young athletes living with T1D, David
White, from Faireld CT, does not let anything
stand in his way. As a freshman on Amherst College’s
hockey team, David has proven himself to be stellar
forward, but it takes a considerable eort.
Intensive diabetes management is important for op-
mal performance in athlecs. David begins tesng at least 4 hours prior to
games and connues to test in regular intervals to ensure he can make nec-
essary adjustments in food and insulin to achieve his target range for
games. He disconnects his insulin pump during games and always keeps Ga-
torade on the bench as needed. Tesng and adjustments connue o-ice on
breaks between each period of play as well as post-game to account for the
eects of exercise, adrenalin, and missed insulin.
As Amherst’s leader in total goals and points scored and the leading goal
scorer for the NESCAC league, David was named the NESCAC Rookie of the
Year. He nished the 2014-15 season with 20 goals and 15 assists in league
acon and becomes the rst Amherst player to score 20 or more goals in a
season since the 2001-02 season.
JDRF congratulates David on his achievements both on the ice and o.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES
11
J
DRF is partnering with the non-
prot organizaon Tidepool to de-
velop a new data integraon tool for
people with T1D who use insulin
pumps, connuous glucose monitors,
or blood glucose meters. The new tool
at the center of the partnership is a
“Universal T1D Device Uploader” in-
tended to make it easier to access and
integrate data from various T1D devic-
es and present them in the context of
a person’s daily acvies. The tool will
also enable consistent remote data
sharing with users, healthcare provid-
ers, and parents of children with T1D
to help individuals beer manage their
disease.
The goal of Tidepool’s development
eorts is to bring diabetes data man-
agement soware into the modern age
by solving several fundamental chal-
lenges. Most available T1D devices
make it hard to download and access
data leaving it trapped inside each pro-
prietary system. In addion, many dia-
betes management systems don’t
make it easy to relate the data to a
person’s daily acvies, including:
food, exercise, sleep paerns, and
work or school hours. Tidepool’s so-
ware will be intuive, aconable and
accessible, making it easier to view
T1D data in meaningful ways for users
and for sharing with parents or health
care providers.
Unlocking Type 1 Diabetes Data
JDRF partners with Tidepool on data integration software for better type 1 diabetes
management
Connued on page 12
Stock up on your favorite beauty products and help
JDRF create a world without T1D. BeautyKind—an
online retailer that features presge beauty brands—
is partnering with JDRF to help fund life-changing T1D
research.
And you can help! All you have to do is:
Click here to browse BeautyKind’s make-up, skin,
nail, fragrance and hair products.
Make a purchase and 5% will go directly to JDRF.
Make sure you share the link above with friends, fami-
ly and social networks to help JDRF raise even more—
and accrue your Beauty Points. For every $5 you
spend you’ll earn one beauty point, which is equal to
one dollar that’s just for you.
Thank you for your support.
Together, we will turn type one into type none.
Jump start your Walk Team fundraising with a Team JDRF event!
Team JDRF to Cure Diabetes, our grassroots fundraising program,
helps you combine your personal interests and passions with your
commitment to raise money for T1D research. With our help, you
can turn a favorite hobby, sport, community project, or social
event into a fundraising campaign that will help you reach your
Walk Team goal in no me!
Get acve, get creave, get started
Team JDRF has lots of opons for you:
Team JDRF Challenge. Gain entry into a premier running
event when you raise money with Team JDRF.
Individual Fundraising Campaign. Start a personal campaign
that ts your interests, me, and talents.
Community Events. Find or start a group event that gathers
people together to have fun while making a dierence.
Every dollar you raise will help JDRF
to create a world without T1D.
Contact Jill Waller at jwaller@jdrf.org to learn more
about Team JDRF and how we can help.
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES
12
The Universal Device Uploader will be
an important near-term step towards
achieving more eecve T1D manage-
ment. It also will enable a whole new
wave of arcial pancreas (AP) research
based on new understandings of the
data from diabetes devices coupled
with the way a person actually lives. As
the clinical tesng of new AP systems
has rapidly accelerated into more every-
day sengs, so has the need for re-
searchers to more easily and remotely
track their performance and collect the
data needed to advance their develop-
ment. Accessing such integrated data
remotely with Tidepool’s Universal T1D
Device Uploader will speed develop-
ment of AP systems that beer control
a person’s blood glucose levels. For
more informaon or to support JDRF’s
arcial pancreas research program,
please click here.
Unlocking Type 1 Diabetes Data continued
Example of Data Display from Tidepool Soware
I
t has been more than 30 years since scientists identified the
basic autoimmune feature of T1D when they discovered
autoantibodies binding to targets from cells in the pancreas.
And yet, devising therapies to halt or reverse the misguided
immune system attack on insulin—producing beta cells has
proven to be a slow and challenging process.
The earliest immune-focused therapies tested in people with
T1D were non-specific immune therapies designed to act
broadly in suppressing the immune system response. From
early trials using immunosuppressive agents commonly used in
transplant patients, such as cyclosporine, to more recent stud-
ies using drugs that target discrete receptors on immune cells,
such as anti-CD3, anti-CD20 and anti-CTLA4, results in T1D
have been mixed. In general they have had only a modest ef-
fect in maintaining or improving beta cell function in subsets of
study participants. Some studies are continuing in an attempt
to define some situations for their potential beneficial use in
T1D and the potential to use some of these approaches in
combination therapies continues to be an area of interest.
In parallel, scientists have made significant progress identifying
the major genes associated with T1D and even more im-
portantly specific proteins or parts of proteins to which the
immune system is over-reacting in this disease. These autoim-
mune triggers are called autoantigens. This basic research pro-
gress and the limited success of broad immunotherapies cou-
pled with their safety risks have shaped the current, more tar-
geted JDRF strategy toward the development of antigen-
specific immunotherapies. This approach is designed to target
only the specific components contributing to the immune re-
sponse in T1D, leaving the overall immune system intact and
functioning to respond normally to routine infections. Antigen-
specific immunotherapies may include vaccines that induce or
restore tolerance to the T1D autoantigens by re-educating the
immune system to stop attacking beta cells that produce these
autoantigens. This is similar in principle to giving allergy shots
to an allergy sufferer to stop the allergic response.
In a recent publication in the prestigious scientific journal, Pro-
ceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, JDRF partner
Selecta published the details of a novel technology that is be-
ing used to develop a vaccine for the induction of immune
tolerance in
people with
T1D. Their
technique in-
volves creating
tiny packages
called nano-
particles con-
taining the
T1D antigens
and immuno-
modulatory
agents that
ultimately
reach the key cells of the immune system and trigger the re-
education process. Selecta is one of the leaders in the develop-
ment of antigen-specific immune tolerance therapies and their
approach holds great promise for T1D. With recently renewed
support from a JDRF-Sanofi partnership, Selecta is set to begin
testing this antigen-specific immune therapy in mouse models
of T1D. If successful, this could pave the way for pilot clinical
studies and ultimately a means to restore normal immune
function and halt the T1D disease process.
For more information or to support the JDRF restoration re-
search program, please click here.
Reeducating the Immune System in T1D
JDRF partner Selecta developed a novel technology for creating a T1D vaccine to
potentially halt the disease process
Nanoparcles Work At the Fundamental Level of the
Immune System to Stop the Misguided Aack
IMPROVING LIVES. CURING TYPE 1 DIABETES
13
Staff Directory
Margie Ostrower — Execuve Director
Joan Benz — Outreach Manager
Stephen Gnojewski — Senior Development Coordinator
Beth Hebert — Oce Manager
Marcia Maslo — Development Director
Jean Marie Trick — Development Coordinator
Kaitlyn Vadenais — Special Events Coordinator
Jill Waller — Development Assistant
Fairfield County Office
200 Conneccut Avenue, Suite 4E, Norwalk, CT 06854
Phone: 203-854-0658 Fax: 203-854-0798
Westchester County and Hudson Valley Office
30 Glenn Street, Suite 409, White Plains, NY 10603
Phone: 914-686-7700 Fax: 914-686-7701
Stay connected with Westchester/Fairfield/Hudson Valley Chapter
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T1D Trial Looks to Teach an Old Drug New Tricks
JDRF-funded clinical study of a drug called TUDCA looks to improve beta cell functioning in
people recently diagnosed with T1D
U
ntil recently, much of T1D research has focused on sup-
pressing the autoimmune system to prevent or reverse
disease, but this approach has been slow to yield promising,
long-term results in people with T1D. Yet, new approaches are
emerging based on what scientists are learning about how
beta cells, the actual target of the autoimmune attack, may
contribute to and possibly incite the immune response and
diabetic disease process. Scientists are beginning to learn that
a stress response in beta cells may play a significant role in the
dysfunction and ultimate loss of beta cells in T1D. Specifically,
too much stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the struc-
ture within the beta cells that folds and packages insulin from
its precursor form, places increasing demands on beta cells to
produce insulin. The ER machinery may fail to keep up with the
demand, potentially making insulin processing defective. TUD-
CA, formally identified as tauroursodeoxycholic acid, is used to
treat gallbladder and liver disease and is also identified as a
“chemical chaperone.” Because of its chaperone properties,
TUDCA was discovered to alleviate ER stress, and when TUDCA
was given at early stage of T1D in mice, a reduction of diabetes
was observed. Based on these JDRF-funded pre-clinical find-
ings, a new trial, also funded by JDRF, will begin this month to
determine if TUDCA is safe and effective in treating humans
with T1D.
“TUDCA appears, at least in cells, to help bolster the cells’ abil-
ity to withstand stress,” said Dr. Robin Goland, the lead investi-
gator of the JDRF TUDCA trial and a professor of clinical medi-
cine and pediatrics at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/
Columbia University Medical Center. Click here to see an inter-
view with the lead investigator.
The upcoming trial first seeks to confirm TUDCA’s safety in
treating T1D, although it has already been used in Europe for
the treatment of liver diseases for both adults and children as
young as newborns. The trial will also answer more questions
about beta cell preservation, if TUDCA can preserve insulin
secretion with new onset T1D. “So, first we want to prove that
TUDCA is safe and possibly useful in people with new onset
diabetes,” Goland said. In addition, future studies might in-
clude people with T1D autoantibodies to examine if TUDCA has
the potential to be used in combination with other agents to
prevent T1D.
Another unique aspect of the trial will be the attempt to meas-
ure the impact of TUDCA on a person’s insulin production. Skin
biopsies will be taken to generate a type of stem cell that can
be stored and used in future experiments. For example, the
cells could be used to generate cells that resemble beta cells in
the lab, and the response of a patient’s lab-generated cells
could be compared to their results from the clinical study to
better understand individual variability. This comparison might
allow for improved screening of people for future TUDCA stud-
ies by being better able to predict who will have a positive re-
sponse to the drug.
For more information or to support JDRF’s restoration program,
please click here.