The 2017 Starlight Gala benefitting JDRF was a huge success as guests got “lost at sea” with JDRF while raising $120,000 for pioneering research and clinical trials that could help find a cure for type one diabetes (T1D).
The event was held on Oct. 14, 2017 at the Coast Capri Hotel with proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) fund research into type 1 diabetes (T1D).
“We are on the brink of a potentially transformative period in the history of T1D research ” said Shannon Jolley, manager, fundraising and development, JDRF Kelowna Okanagan.
“The commitment and support we see at the Starlight Gala is exactly what we need to take us even closer to a cure for this horrible disease. I am very grateful to our supporters.”
JDRF is fueling revolutionary research around the world in search of better treatments and eventually a cure for T1D. T1D is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Unlike type 2 diabetes, T1D is not linked to being overweight, lack of exercise or other lifestyle factors. It is not preventable and its cause is unknown. While insulin injections or infusion allow a person with T1D to stay alive, it is a 24/7 burden that carries the constant risk of complications and death.
It is estimated that more than 300,000 Canadians of all ages live with type one diabetes. Although most people are diagnosed as children, 25 per cent of people are diagnosed as adults.
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