Our Program on August 16th was the incredible Terri Meyers discussing JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and her role as a rider and a riding coach. Tiffany Frazier introduced her by telling the club that she saw Terri while she was finishing registering riders for Tour de Tonka 100 and 71 m
ile rides. Terri and Tiffany knew each other from being instructors at Lifetime Fitness and JDRF and actually met again in 2011 at a JDRF event at the Mall of America and Tiffany signed up to do the 100 mile ride in Vermont and they were happy to see each other at Tour de Tonka!
ile rides. Terri and Tiffany knew each other from being instructors at Lifetime Fitness and JDRF and actually met again in 2011 at a JDRF event at the Mall of America and Tiffany signed up to do the 100 mile ride in Vermont and they were happy to see each other at Tour de Tonka! Terri started by giving us a litany of rides for JDRF and other tour fundraisers all over the country and over all types terrains and all seasons of the year. Her mission is to Ride for a Cure of JD because her son was diagnosed with Type I when he was only 6 years old and nearly died and only weighed 35 pounds. She exclaimed, “There is no cure for Type I diabetes and it is an autoimmune disease.” The disease makes it impossible for the body to assimilate sugar and untreated it leads to death. Type I is not to be confused with Type II diabetes that can be improved with proper diet, weight loss and stress reduction but even that is an over simplification. Don’t assume that a person may become diabetic by their appearance. Also Type I diabetes can occur anytime in life so calling it “juvenile diabetes” is a misnomer. Affordability is another major issue for diabetics. “Insulin is a lifesaving hormone that allows our bodies to process carbohydrates. If you can’t afford it, you die!” Normally our bodies do this automatically unless you are a diabetic.
“Why do I ride?! I ride to raise funds to find a cure for Type I diabetes” says Terri. “My son (showing a photo on the screen) also rides with me in lots of races,” she exclaims and she has ridden for 16 years for JDRF and named the eight states she has done so far this year. She also showed a photo of herself wearing the Promise Jersey” which she is honored to wear and says, “I will ride until there is a cure for Type I diabetes!”
In the Q&A Gary Thompson asked about places that promote coke that also have high diabetes rates of diabetes and is there a connection? Terri explained that sugar does not cause diabetes but in many places in the world Coke is cheaper than an equal amount of water. Lou Graber remarked about insulin devices like “The Patch” and their cost. Terri named several brands and that they are very expensive and the insulin can run into $1000’s per month. Kate Wilinski asked if there is any success in finding a cure for diabetes and Terri said that “there have been lots of advancements and new technology is helping diabetics to better manage their insulin dosage and even some instruments that automatically do it for you. But there is no cure yet and that is why I keep riding to raise the funds to find the cure.” Steve Frazier asked there was any federal or state legislation to help diabetics with cost and she said that Minnesota has set a $35 a vile limit but it has become political issue in Washington and stalled federally.