New Canaan: Bobby, 16, and Isabelle Carpenter, 15, will head to Washington, D. C. this month to lobby legislators to support diabetes research.
The New Canaan siblings will be part of a 160-member delegation of children and celebrity advocates at the JDRF 2017 Children’s Congress July 24-26.
The kids, 4 to 17, from around the country, will lobby their members of Congress to support type 1 diabetes (T1D) research to reduce the burden of the disease and ultimately find a cure.
The delegation will attend a Congressional committee hearing to share personal testimonies that highlight the daily struggles of living with T1D and the need for continued funding for research projects such as the Special Diabetes Program (SDP).
Six of the delegates will be from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom to deliver a message to the federal government that diabetes is a global problem and requires a global effort, a release said.
“These children and their parents face the burden of type one diabetes every day, and by sharing their stories, they become the most powerful advocates we have in fighting type one diabetes. They represent millions of other families like mine who need the support of the government to help us end this disease,” said Derek Rapp, JDRF President and CEO.
Serving as Chair for JDRF 2017 Children’s Congress will be Angie Platt of Encino, Calif., whose 13-year old son, Jonathan, was diagnosed with T1D at age 6. Platt is a member of JDRF’s International Board of Directors and previously chaired the 2013 Children’s Congress.
She will help engage, support and energize the delegates and their families in their advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.
“I view diabetes like riding a horse, if your numbers are really bumpy you’re not going to have a good time, but if you control it and take care of it you’ll have a pleasant ride,” said Platt.
For more information, visit http://www.jdrf.org/.
Brother and sister Bobby, 16, and Isabelle Carpenter, 15, will join a delegation of children and celebrity advocates at the JDRF 2017 Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C., July 24-26.
Two siblings from New Canaan are headed to D.C. to lobby for Diabetes.
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