To register for a JDRF One Walk near you, please visit walk.jdrf.org. 

JDRF One Walk, Columbus
October 3, 2015
Oxbow Meadows

JDRF One Walk, Atlanta
October 17, 2015
Centennial Olympic Park

JDRF One Walk, Athens
October 24, 2015
Sandy Creek Park

As the oldest in my family, I have always considered myself very protective of my siblings. My little brother and sister are my whole world. I’m the one who helps with homework, gives high school relationship advice, and embarrasses them in front of their friends just the right amount! My little brother, Preston, is the youngest; the baby of the family. His incredibly kind character seems to make up for what my sister and I have in sarcasm and sass. For as long as I can remember, I have constantly kept an eye out for him. Even as a college student, I don’t hesitate to keep in touch and make sure everything is ok. No one is going to mess with my little brother, or else they would have to face an incredibly intimidating (or so I like to think) big sister.

The day my brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I had just gotten out of cheerleading practice when my mom called to tell me the news. I began crying, but mostly out of confusion. I had no idea what T1D entailed, I didn’t know what exactly was wrong with my brother and worst of all, I knew that this time, I could not fix it. In the days following my brother’s diagnoses, I hated the helplessness and fear that surrounded my family. While our minds were busy with learning about our new lifestyle, there was a haunting thought that was constantly lurking. The thought of, so, this is our life now?! How is Preston expected to go through these motions for the rest of his life with no questions asked? It’s just not fair.

I struggled with these thoughts for some time, until we were contacted by JDRF and they told us about the Walk to Cure Diabetes, now the JDRF One Walk. My mom immediately signed us up as a family team, “Preston’s Partners, and we began recruiting our team members and planning fundraisers. I had heard of JDRF before, but never looked into who they were and what they did. I was ecstatic to find this group of amazing people who were determined to help kids like Preston. The journey to Walk day was an incredibly comforting experience.

As my family and I arrived on the day of the Walk, I was completely blown away. I’m not sure what I had been expecting, but it was certainly not what I arrived to on that chilly October morning! There were families just like mine everywhere I looked. I was overwhelmed with comfort to see that my brother was far from being helpless or alone. The feeling of coming together with thousands of people for a single cause is indescribable. My experience on the day of the Walk showed me that I can be there for my brother, and Type 1 Diabetes will never get in the way of that. The following year, I chose to be team captain of “Preston’s Partners”, and led the team to an even more successful walk year. Today, I am still incredibly involved with my brother’s Walk team, and wouldn’t miss the JDRF One Walk for the world. I have even managed to bring a few sorority sisters to some Walks in the past, and Preston doesn’t seem to mind!

I hope you will join me at one of the three JDRF One Walks in Georgia this upcoming fall!