Posted by Renee on June 07, 1999 at 09:12:47:
I too have just returned from the JDF conference in San Francisco enlightened, encouraged,and enthused by the tremendous advances JDF has achieved in the 12 months since I last attended the annual conference. Despite the callous comments of disgruntled detractors, rest assured that this incredible group has more finely tuned their collective efforts than what I observed & reported about here one year ago. The absence of an immediate response to disparaging comments posted here is attributable to other priorities - like sleep for one! This was NOT a social gathering at a fancy resort - this was WORK!!! I was at breakfast at 7 am each morning, listening to renowned researchers, attending workshops, hearing scientific updates, etc etc, not returning to my hotel room until late at night. I was exhilarated by the level of commitment of these amazing volunteers AND staffers who continue to "raise the standard of excellence" in non-profit organizations. My notes are still in disarray & at that, the information was so copious that I missed specific dates, etc., but I do know that I heard Dr. Robert Goldstein say that within the very recent past (2yrs? 4 yrs?) JDF gave $4 MILLION to islet cell research & this coming year they will give $20 MILLION to islet cell research alone!!!! $61 MILLION dollars was given to research in fiscal '99 and in the coming year, the goal is to amass $75 MILLION for research!!!! I have already elaborated here my own child's amazingly successful treatment for proteinuria with ACE inhibitors, so do I think the money needs to be allocated diffusely? UNEQUIVOCALLY!!! I heard Dr. Mark Cooper of Australia, a renowned researcher, address the phenomenal success they've now documented in halting or even ameliorating diabetic nephropathy AND, more significantly, the increasingly impressive results that are being extrapolated to diabetic retinopathy and heart related conditions as a corollary to this treatment. It bears repeating that a CURE is our ultimate & collective GOAL, but preventing complications & funding ongoing research to keep prospective diabetics from joining the ranks are equally noble benchmarks along this journey......which brings me to my concluding remarks....
On Tuesday, I had a few hours free to head downtown to shop. Walking DOWN Powell street was very easy.....ascending that path a few hours later was an all together different story! The first few blocks were fairly easy, but the final two were agonizing!!! I could clearly SEE my goal (the hotel at the crest of the hill), but each step was agonizingly painful, made bearable only by frequently turning around to see just how far I'd come. Dr. Robert Levine, Mary Tyler Moore's devoted & dedicated husband, addressed the conference and implored us NOT to ever feel apologetic for not having YET cured diabetes,despite the "decade of the cure" slogan; for what JDF has achieved in the past few years, including assisting wonderful organizations like DRI with research funding and facilitating collaborative efforts among far-flung researchers and altering the way the federal government views funding for diabetes research,has accelerated and refocused the journey into a much much narrow pathway. To conclude my metaphor, I liken JDF's first 25 years or so to my ascent up those first few blocks, perambulating along without sufficient "steam" to complete the mission. These past few years represent the more difficult blocks and what lies ahead is that final, most agonizing phase of the journey. It WILL take time, and yes we WILL have to periodically stop, look back, reassess, "shift our weight", catch our breath,etc. but I came home from San Francisco BELIEVING fervently that we WILL CREST that hill someday.....and because I DO believe that, I will continue to expend all my energy to further JDF's message any way that I can from stuffing envelopes to increasing my daughter's already successful WALK team accomplishments ($22,000 last year)to recruiting & supporting newly-diagnosed families into "our" JDF family,to occasionally posting here in defense of an amazing organization that has captured my heart and soul.