The JDRF One Walk Allentown is THIS SUNDAY, October 7! Today we celebrate the driving force of our One Walk program—our Family Walk teams. When your friends and family come together at your local JDRF One Walk, you create change and positively impact lives of those living with type 1 diabetes. THANK YOU for all that you do help us achieve our shared vision of a world without this devastating disease.

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We firmly believe there will be a day that a cure is found—and that day will occur in Aaron’s lifetime.

On March 29, 2016—and at only one year old—Aaron Swercheck was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). While his life and the lives of his loving family have certainly changed since his diagnoses, Aaron’s easygoing personality has been an inspiration throughout this difficult time. With the help of Aaron’s older brother, AJ, the Swerchecks have adjusted their lifestyle to cope with this frustrating disease—and they’re joining the local T1D community for the upcoming JDRF One Walk Allentown as The A-Team to help fund research to improve the lives of everyone challenged by T1D.

Read below to find out what JDRF and the One Walk program mean to the Swerchecks, as shared by Aaron’s father, Adam:

Tell us about your loved one with T1D.

Our son, Aaron, was diagnosed with T1D 22 days before his second birthday. That diagnosis changed our lives, and we have adjusted our lifestyles to make sure Aaron’s needs are addressed. Aaron is on an insulin pump and wears a continuous glucose monitor, which has made life a lot easier. We have other family and friends who were diagnosed with T1D many years before Aaron’s diagnosis, including Aaron’s uncle, but we didn’t have a true appreciation for the complexities of managing T1D until Aaron was diagnosed.

Why did you decide to get involved with JDRF and the Allentown Walk?

Very simply, Aaron is the reason we got involved in JDRF. The Allentown Walk is our local Walk, and we plan to be there every year. We’ve successfully fundraised more money each year, thanks to our family, friends, and colleagues whose support has been steadfast. The A-Team began with the 2016 Allentown Walk. Our family is all “A” names—Amy, Adam, Andrew, and Aaron—so that’s how we came up with the name.

How do you fundraise for the Allentown Walk?

We fundraise by reaching out to family, friends, and colleagues who have shown us tremendous support since Aaron’s diagnosis, and where we can, we take advantage of company matches. In 2018, we also approached the school that the boys attend and asked them if they would be willing to support the Allentown Walk by having a school fundraiser—and they said yes immediately, which we greatly appreciate.

Do you have a favorite part of One Walk or a favorite One Walk story?

When the walk was held at Dorney Park in 2016, the boys loved walking through the dinosaurs at Dorney Park and spending the day there after the Walk. Being that it was our first walk and only six months after Aaron’s diagnosis, we remember seeing all the other people managing T1D, especially young children, and realizing that we were not alone.

How has JDRF’s support made a difference for you and your family?

JDRF is such a valuable resource, and the research they support to find a cure and finding ways to manage the disease more easily is immeasurable. We firmly believe there will be a day that a cure is found and that day will occur in Aaron’s lifetime.

What would you tell someone with T1D or a newly diagnosed family about JDRF?

You are not alone. When you receive the diagnosis or you hear the diagnosis of a loved one (especially a young child), so much goes through your head, and it may feel like you are alone in that moment.   However, you are not alone, as there is a whole community out there who have had those same feelings and are managing T1D every day. Do not be afraid to reach out to that community. Hearing their stories—realizing they have gone through many of the same things that you are going through—is a great comfort. Use the community as a resource.

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Registration for One Walk Allentown is open and there’s plenty of time to assemble your team, as fundraising continues well beyond Walk Day. Celebrate all the hard work—or kick off the start of your fundraising!—with a day of fun at the PPL Center on Sunday, October 7.

 

Interested in getting involved with JDRF One Walk? As a JDRF volunteer, you’ll join a community of people who care passionately about JDRF’s vision and are willing to do the work to help us make it a reality. We invite you to sign up to volunteer from the web or contact philadelphia@jdrf.org for more information. Your talents can make a huge difference.