DiabetesSource

Diabetes Research & Education Advocates of Michigan (D.R.E.A.M.) has launched its first major fundraising campaign to help discover a cure for diabetes. As part of its mission to fund research and educational projects to find a cure for diabetes, D.R.E.A.M. is raising $100,000 to go towards diabetes research at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

D.R.E.A.M. was founded in 2009 by the Grodman and Kramer families, of West Bloomfield, MI, who collectively have 3 children with Type 1 diabetes. In addition to raising monies for research, D.R.E.A.M. provides annual scholarships to the University of Michigan for incoming students with Type 1 diabetes.

"This foundation was born from our personal experience as parents of children with Type 1 diabetes, struggling to find information about the best way to help them face this chronic disease," said Karyn Grodman, co-founder of D.R.E.A.M. "When our sons, Jared and Adam, were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at young ages, there wasn't a lot of support or information readily available in understanding the disease. We want to aim for finding a cure for diabetes and in the meantime, DREAM will help educate families about how they can live their lives to the fullest while managing their diabetes."

Part of D.R.E.A.M's mission is to create awareness about the latest diabetes treatment options available to people with diabetes, and how these advancements are helping them and others achieve a better quality of life until a cure can be found.

Co-founder Peri Kramer, whose son Tyler has Type 1 diabetes, commented, "Through D.R.E.A.M., we hope to connect with other families and to be able to provide a support network, particularly for newly diagnosed children." Tyler manages his Type 1 diabetes with the OmniPod® Insulin Management System, which delivers insulin to him all day long and is tailored to his meals and activity level. Kramer continued, "Tyler is able to stay active in sports, including soccer and snowboarding and even goes swimming without disconnecting the tubeless pump, which helps him manage his blood sugar level and maintain good control."

The D.R.E.A.M. foundation is planning several fundraising events in 2010, including a "Battle of the Bands," which will include various bands performing, a silent auction and other entertainment to be held on May 2 at the Edgewood Country Club in Commerce Township.

About Type 1 Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of more than 90% of the body's insulin-producing cells. It can neither be prevented nor cured. Globally, it is the most common form of diabetes in children, affecting around 500,000 children under 15, with 70,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Prevalence is increasing most quickly among pre-school children, at a rate of 5% per year.

About D.R.E.A.M.
D.R.E.A.M. was founded in 2009 by the Grodman and Kramer families. Formerly the Grodman Cure Foundation, the mission of D.R.E.A.M. is to fund research projects and educational programs to discover a cure for diabetes, and benefit those with diabetes and other childhood diseases.

About The OmniPod® Insulin Management System
The OmniPod Insulin Management System is the world's only tubing-free insulin pump. OmniPod offers people living with insulin-requiring diabetes all the benefits of insulin pump therapy, with unprecedented freedom, comfort and ease. OmniPod has just two components: the small, discreet, watertight Pod, worn almost anywhere on the body to hold and deliver insulin; and the PDM (Personal Diabetes Manager), a hand-held device that communicates wirelessly to program the Pod, calculates suggested doses and has a built-in FreeStyle® blood glucose meter.