Larry Soler Is Kind Of A Big Deal
Posted on March 10, 2009
Filed Under Juvenile Diabetes | Leave a Comment
Jessica Hickok & Larry Soler at JDRF Family Retreat in St. Louis February 28, 2009
I was so excited when I got an e-mail from Sanda at JDRF St. Louis today with a copy of a press release that she sent out which included a picture of me and Larry Soler to the newspapers. (See the press release copy below).
Larry Soler is the JDRF International Executive Vice President, government relations and operations and a type 1 diabetic himself. When I met him at the St. Louis JDRF Family Retreat a few weekends ago, I was truly inspired by what he had to say. At JDRF, Mr. Soler oversees the Artificial Pancreas Project, whose goal is to accelerate the widespread availability of an artificial pancreas. To that end, JDRF funds research and advocacy to speed the development, regulatory approval, clinician acceptance, and health insurance coverage of an artificial pancreas and its component technologies. Mr. Soler is also responsible for the Foundation’s campaign to renew the Special Diabetes Program, which supports 35% of the NIH’s type 1 diabetes research, as well as the Foundation’s active grassroots program.
Yes, I copied all that above for a bio of him that I found on the internet. It describes him best, but IMHO or layman’s terms, I’d say Larry Soler is kind of a big deal. Thank you Mr. Soler for all of the work that you do and have done for finding a cure.
Sanda’s press release copy:
Photo Cutline: Jessica Hickok, JDRF Board member and Springfield Coordinator with Larry Soler, JDRF International Executive Vice President, government relations and operations. Jessica was in St. Louis at the Annual Family Retreat and for a planning session for the 1st Annual Founders Walk To Cure Diabetes Saturday – May 30, 2009 — Founders Park — Springfield, MO — Photo by Dave Myers
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s 2009 Family Retreat
Offered Hope For A Cure
By Marie Davis, Executive Director
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Metro Saint Louis/Greater Missouri Chapter
One in 500 U.S. school children is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin – a hormone that enables people to turn food into energy. Type 1 diabetes is second only to asthma as the most chronic childhood disease.
On February 28 and March 1, Energizer hosted JDRF’s Family Retreat – a one-of-a-kind weekend that offered education, support and encouragement to families touched by diabetes. “Supporting each other until there is a cure,” sets our weekend tone…as we provide (for as little as $50.00 per family for the entire event!)…research updates, education seminars, counseling, networking opportunities and fun family entertainment.
Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008, the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants in laboratories, hospitals, and industry, and fellowships in 22 countries.
While insulin is not a cure for diabetes, this medical discovery has and continues to save millions of lives world-wide. Unfortunately, the majority of people with diabetes in most countries still cannot get insulin.
As insulin is prohibitively expensive for patients with type 1 diabetes in the developing world, it is estimated that the life expectancy of a newly diagnosed patient may be as little as one year.
Diabetes is increasing faster in the world’s developing economies than in developed countries. Seven out of ten countries with the highest number of people living with diabetes are in the developing world. With an estimated 35 million people with diabetes, India has the world’s largest diabetes population.
· Studies carried out recently in Zambia, Mali and Mozambique highlight a stark reality: a person requiring insulin for survival in Zambia will live an average of 11 years; a person in Mali can expect to live for 30 months; in Mozambique a person requiring insulin will be dead within 12 months
We’ve seen projections of 380 million diagnosed with diabetes by the year 2025. The U.S. retail market for diabetes medications exceeds $20 billion annually. JDRF knows that insulin as a therapy saves lives for millions of men, women and children with diabetes. We hope 2009 brings the research that will find a cure.
Now is the time to organize your Walk to Cure Diabetes Teams. JDRF’s annual Walk is slated for Sunday, October 4, 2009 in Forest Park. Call us for information…JDRF at 314-729-1846 or go to walk.jdrg.org. A cure is just steps away.
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