Tour De Cure - Diabetes ride in Georgia

Hi All,

I've never done a fundraising ride - this will be my first. Is anyone here doing this ride? I'll be by myself, but my brother was diagnosed with insulin-dependent Juvenile Diabetes 40 years ago, so this cause is very personal for me. Hope to see others there!

Leslie

I recently accepted the challenge of cycling in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure fund-raising event. The Tour de Cure is a series of cycling events held in over 80 cities nationwide. The Tour is a ride, not a race; it features different route lengths from a leisurely 6-mile course to a demanding 100-mile journey. I have joined thousands of others to pedal in support of the Association's mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

I am asking you to help by supporting my fund-raising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of the 18 million Americans who suffer from diabetes and the 20 million people in the United States with pre-diabetes. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. More information on the American Diabetes Association, its programs and diabetes in general can be found at the Association's website: www.diabetes.org: www.diabetes.org

Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight against this deadly disease. I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Click here to Sponsor Me

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

main.diabetes.org/si...=personal&fr_id=2310

I'm planning to do the ride. It is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart as well. Both of my grandmothers had diabetes and I also have a cousin with diabetes. Several friends that I ride with regularly (one of whom was diagnosed with diabetes about a year ago) are also doing the ride. I'm sure it will be a big crowd so I don't know how easy it will be to find people but maybe we'll see you out there.

I think it's awesome you two are doing the ride. I'm not in Georgia, so I'm not doing this ride, but this is a subject that's also near and dear to me because I'm diabetic.

I was first diagnosed when I was 19 or so and they estimate that I was diabetic for years, but not detected. Because of the diabetes, I have severe hypertension, kidney and liver issues, and both retinopathy and neuropathy. The kidney function was so bad, in fact, that when I was first diagnosed and additional tests run, three doctors didn't think I'd see 25.

I'm now 32.

But I nearly didn't make it. Do to the diabetes and the severe hypertension, before my 28th birthday, I had a stroke. My blood pressure at the time was 253/163. Needless to say, my doctors are all surprised I survived.

So, a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who does these charity rides.

Mel

PS: Leslie, sent you a donation to help make your pledge. Have fun on the ride.