Posted by colleen kacerosky on April 25, 1998 at 11:42:35:
I have posted this message as a response to another email on this site already. the Santa Barbara Diabetes Project is part of the Sansum Medical Research Foundation in Santa Barbara California, A Dr. Javanovic also a type 1 diabetic began this collaboration in an effort to avoid duplication of research and find the quickest and best way to deliver islet cell transplantation to the public. A woman named Jocelyn M. Ondre is the Director of Development (805)682-7638 ext,210. She is anxious to share the information on the Project, the plans etc. and is in the process of raising the necessary funding to get the project off the ground. Meetings have already taken place among the researchers and more are planned for this summer as is a virtual lab where data can be compiled and centeralized to expediate the research. $350 thousand of the $1.1 million necessary to begin has been raised and they are attempting to obtain matching funds and grant proposals have been developed., The list of researchers currently on board is impressive and hopefully more will join. May I suggest that the diabetic community spend its energies developing these types of projects and joining forces to see such things come to be instead of attacking eachother as i witnessed on this web site recently in reference to Deb Butterfield. I found the behavior disgraceful and embarrassing. Granted I am new to this research and this disease but i believe time is more wisely spent promoting avenues of cure research than tearing eachother down. Deb could walk away tomorrow. I personally pray that she doesn't as we need advocates such as she and such as Al and such as we all should be. We may not agree with each theory but no one theory will bring about the cure my son needs. Such behavior only lessens the cause and slows the process.
Colleen Kacerosky
If anyone wants more information on the Santa Barbara Project I suggest you call Jocelyn M. Ondre and offer support. My support has been to put the information out there. If i could give money i would be Jocelyn needs volunteers to get the message out that they exist and there for I do.