Cole Bruesehoff is a Global Communications Associate at Ascensia Diabetes Care. Each year, Ascensia Diabetes Care employees lace up their sneakers or put on their helmets to support JDRF and the type 1 diabetes community. Keep reading to learn why Cole chooses to raise awareness and funds for JDRF’s mission.

Last August I shared parts of my diabetes story during a lunch and learn for the Ascensia Diabetes Care Parsippany office with the other JDRF interns. Since then, so much has happened. My internship was extended, I graduated from Ball State University, I was given a full time job here at Ascensia, oh and that little thing COVID-19 that threw a wrench in so many peoples plans.

Over the past year, I have been able to maintain an average A1c thanks to lots of support from friends and family, but it hasn’t been easy. At this time of transition in my life I am not ashamed to admit that I have been stressed out and generally struggled with mental health both related and unrelated to Type 1. Aside from doing my best to handle that, it has caused me to experience many overnight highs and lows that make it difficult to get up and ready in the morning (luckily I don’t have to commute and working is as easy as rolling out of bed.) It can be tough to break a cycle of stress and depression leading to less than ideal blood sugars which then leads me back into a state of stress and depression as a result of not being able to control blood glucose.

The struggles of having Type 1 haven’t changed in the last year. I still have to meticulously count carbs, monitor my body for signs of high and low blood sugar, find ways of keeping myself awake to fully treat lows, and do all of this while trying to appear like a normally function adult. I am blessed that Ascensia’s insurance is amazing and helped alleviate some of my previous worries on how I would pay for the supplies that keep me alive. Finding an endocrinologist has been a challenge without knowing where I will be spending the next 3 months of my life. Many won’t see me unless I plan on continuing my care through them, others have 2-3 month waiting lists to get an appointment. While the everyday struggles haven’t changed, new challenges have been added just to receive and administer the care people with diabetes require every day.

What this all boils down to is that this year, more than ever, your contributions to the JDRF One Walk is more important than ever. The JDRF Rides to Cure Diabetes were cancelled this year due to Coronavirus. Many fundraising events will look a lot different in the coming months or years, and with the financial impacts of the virus, JDRF has seen fewer donations across the board. It is a way to raise awareness for a cause that has been slightly muted due to the rise or certain other diseases and varying news cycles.

As I said last year, treatments are not a cure. Many developments make life easier for people with diabetes, but they do not replace a functioning pancreas, the only thing that can do that is a cure. Thank you for supporting this years One Walk and thank you for continuing to make a difference in the lives of all those that live with diabetes.