Members of the public may RSVP by May 21 to attend this interactive session on JDRF’s efforts to improve access to and reduce the costs of type 1 diabetes (T1D) therapies and technologies

Greensboro, North Carolina, May 17, 2018 ­– The Piedmont Triad Chapter of JDRF will host its Annual Meeting at 7 pm on Thursday, May 24, at the Proximity Hotel, 704 Green Valley Road, Greensboro.

Keynote speaker Jeramie Irwin, JDRF’s Manager of Grassroots Advocacy, will travel to the Triad from Washington, D.C., to lead an interactive discussion with JDRF supporters, the public, and the media on JDRF’s efforts to build and sustain critical support for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research while raising awareness for the financial, medical, and emotional costs of T1D.

Irwin, who was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 12 and has participated in several clinical trials, works with grassroots advocacy volunteers around the country to call attention to the tremendously high cost burden of T1D therapies and technologies. In addition to keeping this issue front of mind on Capitol Hill and with regulatory agencies, Irwin and JDRF’s grassroots advocates are leading the Coverage2Control campaign, calling on health insurance companies to provide three things to help people with T1D:

• Affordability: Keep out-of-pocket insurance costs predictable and reasonable for insulin and diabetes management tools;
• Choice: Give people the freedom to choose the insulin pump that’s right for them; and
• Coverage: Cover all life-saving technology, including the artificial pancreas.

Learn more at Coverage2Control.com.

To attend the meeting, please RSVP by calling the Piedmont Triad Chapter office at (336) 373-1768 or by e-mailing eschaffner-mosh@jdrf.org by Monday, May 21.

About Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it.

About JDRF: JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement, and our vision of a world without T1D.  jdrf.org or @JDRF on Twitter

About JDRF – Piedmont Triad Chapter: Covering 15 North Carolina counties, the Piedmont Triad Chapter provides support for those living with type 1 diabetes and raises funds for T1D research through a variety of events, including its annual Hope Gala; One Walks in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Alamance County, and High Point; and the Ride to Cure Diabetes. facebook.com/jdrftriad  or @JDRFtriad on Twitter