Peter Kelley had grown up hearing about his aunt and grandmother’s Type 1 diabetes, but like most people, it was a mystery that included vials, needles and an urgent need for sugary interventions.  He had never really internalized what it meant or thought much about what it may mean for his own life.  Then, while on a family cruise in March of 2017, it became very real for his younger daughter Lizzie, now 17.

“This was not run-of-the-mill sea sickness; I knew that something was very wrong,” said Ruth Weber Kelley, Lizzie’s mom.  “We went to the infirmary on the ship, and with just a few brief tests, the doctor confirmed it. After imagining the very worst, I was flooded with relief that it was something we could manage.  Lizzie saw it as one more curve ball coming her way.”

Lizzie was no stranger to adversity, as another autoimmune disorder called alopecia caused her to lose her hair when she was entering high school. And last November, she underwent a six-hour surgery to completely reconstruct her jaw due to structural issues from birth.

“Of course, we would give or do anything to make T1D go away for Lizzie,” Peter said.  “But what’s compelling for us is how close we are for everyone.  This is a life-and-death disease that requires 38 million people worldwide to be vigilant and reliant on life-saving insulin every hour of every day.  And while the advances have been breath-taking and so impressive, we can’t stop now.”

Lizzie realizes that she’s lucky to have the latest technology and medicine to make it easier for her to manage her T1D, but knows that others are not so fortunate.  “The stories of people having to ration insulin make me both sad and outraged.  I want to move beyond managing it to curing it.  Together, we can make that happen.”

Lizzie is scheduled to start college in the fall at American University in Washington, D.C., majoring in Spanish and international relations. Her sister Katie is a bilingual program assistant at a non-profit in Seattle. Ruth leads People & Culture Communications at Cargill, and Peter is a program director with Global Volunteers.  Cargill’s Truvia brand has been a sponsor of JDRF, and is the basis for a low-carb summer cocktail called the Minnesota Bootleg.

2 Oz Jose Cuervo Silver — 0 carbs

2 Oz fresh lemon juice — 2 carbs

2 Oz fresh lime juice — 2 carbs

3/4 truvia simple syrup — 0 carbs

Mint leaves

Club soda