Alyssa Hennessy saw how difficult it is to fight diabetes during the past three summers when she was the nanny for a young boy with Type 1 diabetes.

‘I just became really attached to him and saw his struggle with testing his blood sugar every day and counting carbs and all his food,’ said Hennessy, a senior advertising major.

Now Hennessy is helping out with Wednesday’s Denim Day, during which people across 17 northeastern counties will wear jeans to raise awareness for juvenile diabetes. Those who donate at least $10 to the sponsor, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, will also receive a sticker with a jean pocket design that reads ‘Denim for Diabetes.’

Every hour in the United States, three people are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, according to the National Institute of Health. In the Central New York area, there are more than 1,500 juveniles diagnosed with the life-threatening disease.

Hennessy, who is interning at the organization, said Denim Day is meant to promote awareness that may eventually lead to donations to find a cure.

Denim was chosen to wear because the color blue is also the color for diabetes awareness. Eighty-five cents to every dollar donated for Denim Day will go directly to research.

‘We are just trying to get the word out there in regards to what Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation can do for Central New York and what we are all about,’ said Jennifer Wilson, a member of the foundation.

The foundation tried to get in touch with corporations as another way to receive donations, Wilson said. At least four corporations are involved in Denim Day.

November is National Diabetes Month, prompting Wednesday’s event. In addition to Wednesday’s event, the foundation is marking the month by receiving a proclamation from Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner. The Niagara Mohawk Building shined blue lights to represent diabetes awareness.

‘When you have an international foundation like this, it can get lost in really connecting to its community,’ Hennessy said. ‘So the JDRF’s having all these branches as part of their community really helps them to reach out and really connect with community, family and friends.’

The foundation offers a number of other services to help children who have been diagnosed with diabetes. It sets up support groups for parents and children who are going through the battle of diabetes and acclimates newly diagnosed children to their new way of life by coming up with a plan their school nurse can follow, such as when a child might need insulin, explaining what to do in case of an emergency and setting up a diet that will keep the child safe.

Wilson also has firsthand experience with this illness because her mother is diabetic. Especially for the parents who are new to this process, it can be overwhelming and nerve-racking, Wilson said.

‘At three in the morning,’ she said, ‘you wake up out of a dead sleep because your child might not wake up.’

dgproppe@syr.edu

 

Published on November 16, 2010 at 12:00 pm