Every other year, JDRF brings children aged 4 to 17 years from all across the country to Washington, D.C. In face-to-face meetings with their lawmakers, Children’s Congress delegates help them understand the challenges of living with type 1 and why a cure is so important.

For my daughter and for my family, participating in Children’s Congress was a life-changing experience. As a young teen, my daughter realized that having type 1 made her an expert in living with the disease. She realized that her voice could be a powerful tool in advocating for therapies and treatments for a better life and ultimately a cure for type 1. Younger children, too, bear powerful witness to the challenges of living with type 1, and though these children may be small, their impact can be enormous.  And the experience of being with other children who live with diabetes and are advocating for a cure can affect them in remarkable ways.

I recently heard from Heidi Stokes, mother of Christian, a young 2007 Children’s Congress delegate from Minnesota who talked about what Children’s Congress meant to her son.

“The Children’s Congress changed Christian’s life. He realized at a young age, that his voice mattered. It was a deeply gratifying experience for our family. To me, as a mom, it was a beautiful silver lining—without having diabetes, Christian would have never been exposed to this sort of world, and have congressmen and senators, listening carefully to what he had to say.  I get tears in my eyes just remembering it all. What a life-changing, beautiful, encouraging experience.

Diabetes takes so much away from our kids and family, it is a rare gift when there is something that can fill you up.”

Chris’s experience with Children’s Congress and advocacy had an effect not only with how he saw himself as an advocate, but also made him realize the impact he could have on the world. It spurred him on to create opportunities he might not have otherwise imagined. Heidi added, “He came to understand that each one of us must do our part, in our own way, to cure diabetes; plus he learned poise; all this makes a huge difference in the life of this child/young adult and you never know what or where that momentum will lead, and all of this can start with Children’s Congress.”

Chris took an active role in looking out for the younger kids and still remarks on the experience of being in a roomful of kids whose mothers also “made them check their blood glucose” and knowing he wasn’t alone.

Being interested in science, after his freshman year Chris worked at the diabetes research lab at Stanford University.  His mother writes:

“Because of his intimate knowledge of the pancreas and how beta cells work, he saw something different in their data. Same data, different eyes. I think there is a Buddhist saying something about a ‘beginners mind’. The researchers were all seeing what they were told they would see; Christian looked and said, ‘I don’t see it that way’: and based on his view— they changed their direction and so far are getting good results. Chris was asked to be a permanent member of the team. Although he goes to college in Texas, he dreams of his work in California.”

Not all of our delegates will go on to become researchers.  But I do know that many delegates refer to their experience as Children’s Congress delegates, and the advocacy they continue to do when they return home, as having a profound influence in their lives. Many forge friendships with other Children’s Congress delegates that remain long after the suitcases are packed and delegates have returned home.

Experiencing the power of your voice through advocacy, both in Washington, D.C. and at home is an experience that changes lives.

Children’s Congress will be held July 8-10, 2013.  Travel and airfare for delegate and one parent covered by JDRF. For more information go to https://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=117521

The deadline for applying is Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, 5pm EDT. https://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=115193

Camille
National Chair, JDRF Advocacy
JDRF Grassroots Leadership Team
JDRF Government Relations Committee