People join the JDRF One Walk because we know that we are stronger together. Every Walk team in the Desert West Chapter is inspiring, so we decided to highlight a few of our teams during the 2022 season to show the truly amazing power of our community!

Rocker Rosie’s

Rosalie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in October of 2021. Her mom shares that the diagnosis has taught their family very quickly how crazy the ups and downs of T1D can be. “Honestly, type 1 diabetes in itself is so different. It’s a huge learning curve. Since the diagnosis, I’ve been working on the carb and insulin ratios, the math behind each dose, the carb intakes… It’s really opened my eyes and through my education I’ve been able to also educate others.”

Team Rocker Rosie’s is working hard together, and with the T1D community in Arizona, to live with all of these changes and not focus on the negatives of the disease. “My daughter was going through changes in August of last year. I thought it was normal at first, but I’m currently in school and we were learning about type 1 diabetes and how it starts. I knew in my gut that I had to get her checked. Her doctor sent us to a specialist, and that’s when we received the diagnosis. It has affected us a ton as a family, but we try to stay positive for Rosalie. JDRF has a lot of resources that we plan to use to help our family. Our Walk team consists of close family and friends, and we’re all fundraising and walking for Rosalie, because she’s a trooper. She may only be five years old, but she is already educating people about her diabetes!”

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Sara Nicastro from Team JDRF Arizona

Sara has been walking with her family in the Desert West Chapter since 2013. She’s also been on One Walk teams in Florida and California since her diagnosis. “I participate in the JDRF One Walk because I believe the research that JDRF funds is the best opportunity for people with T1D to get better treatments and a cure for the disease. By fundraising with my family and friends, it is a way for us to contribute to the research funding. On walk day, it is encouraging to see how big the community is of people who support everyone with T1D.”

Sara hasn’t let type 1 diabetes change her life, and didn’t even let finding out she had T1D change her plans! “When I was diagnosed with T1D, it was one week before a scheduled road trip with my friends. The endocrinologist told me in the hospital room that I could have diabetes where I was or I could have diabetes on the road trip – so go on the trip! I think that has defined my life with diabetes the past 19 years. Until there is a cure, I’m going to have T1D so my goal is to figure out how to fit it into the life I want to live.”

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Carter’s Crusaders

This is Carter’s first year participating in the JDRF One Walk, and also his first year living with T1D. “Carter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on November 12, 2021. November 12th will forever be etched in our brains and on our hearts, as our world stopped in that moment. Before diagnosis, Carter was a completely healthy, active 11 year old that had never even seen the inside of an ER. To say life looks different now is an understatement, but there is a fire in this child that refuses to be burned out. Carter has embraced his journey and we have no doubts that he is destined to have a huge impact in this life and world.”

Carter’s mom and dad are both full-time nurses in Arizona. His mom says that hasn’t made their family’s journey any less overwhelming, but that they are extremely thankful to have so many  encouraging and helpful people around them. “We are honored to join in the One Walk and look forward to meeting even more families in the area who walk this journey beside us. Our hope is to make a difference in the fight for a cure. Words can’t express the immense gratitude we have for our community.”

To learn more about the JDRF One Walk in Arizona or to register your team, visit http://walk.jdrf.org/arizona.

If you are already registered for the JDRF One Walk in Arizona and would like us to profile your team, visit the following links – click here if it is your first JDRF One Walk – click here if you have previously participated in the JDRF One Walk. The links will open PDF forms that will automatically download to your computer when you click.