As a way to get everyone pumped about this year’s Walk to Cure Diabetes theme, “Competing for a Cure”, we are going to give you a little insight on professional athletes who have type 1 diabetes.

Olympic swimmer and JDRF advocate Gary Hall Jr. was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 13 years ago, but hasn’t let the disease hold him back from greatness.

Hall’s talents and drive have helped the 37-year-old professional swimmer win 10 Olympic medals, including five gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals. That same sense of willpower also helped Hall through his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in 1999, which forced him to consider the effects the disease might have on his career and his life. After a brief hiatus from swimming, Hall returned to the Summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000, striking gold yet again.

Hall has not only been a role model for others with T1D by way of example; he has also dedicated himself as a strong advocate for people with T1D and for JDRF. He is a member of the JDRF Government Relations Committee, and during the 2011 Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C., he testified about the need for federal support of diabetes research. On behalf of all of us at JDRF, we applaud Hall for this latest accolade, and thank him for his inspiration both in the water and out.

Be sure to watch for new posts about professional athletes with Type 1 diabetes.

Have you registered for the 2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes?
Register today by clicking your preferred Walk Site below to support JDRF and further our mission to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes and its complications.

2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes
Saturday, September 29, 2012
One Walk… Two Great Locations!
Victory Plaza in Dallas at American Airlines Center
Oak Point Park in Plano on Spring Creek Pkwy at Jupiter Rd

Mark Your Calendars | You’re Invited
The 2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes Kick-Off will be Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at Park Lane Ranch in Dallas with fun for the entire family, including putt-putt golf, batting cages and games.

To read more about the JDRF Greater Dallas Walk to Cure Diabetes, visit the JDRF Dallas Walk website.

To learn more about the JDRF Dallas chapter, visit our JDRF Dallas website!