Diabetes Fund Raisers

A Health Care Article Contributed by Ajishnu Sharma

Raising Funds for Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent ailments with no total cure. This makes diabetes a subject for much study, physicians and scientists spend huge amounts of time and effort trying to isolate a cure for this ailment. Raising funds for diabetes has been an activity that has helped bring in money for diabetes research as well as provide monetary relief for people suffering from diabetes. We will look at two such fund-raising activities related to diabetes.

Fund raising the Walk for Diabetes Way

The Walk for Diabetes is an annual event that takes place at Rock Spring Park in Alton. Supported by the American Diabetes Association, the Walk for Diabetes helps raise funds for different activities related directly or indirectly to diabetes - diabetes research, education programs as well as diabetes camps. This event helps collect thousands of dollars that go towards these above-mentioned activities. The Walk for Diabetes was kick started in 1997.

Since then, it has been growing, in terms of the number of people participating in the walk as well as the money raised. Take a look at the following statistics and you will understand what I mean. In the inaugural year, the amount of money raised was $9,000, and the number of people that participated was very less. The numbers this year are much higher - 300 participants and $65,000. Now that tells a story, doesn't it?

This year, the number of people participating in this event touched 300. The aim, according to American Diabetes Association marketing director Diane Rosen, was to raise a sum of $55,000 from this event. However, by the time the event got over, the organizers, to their delight, found that they had collected more than the amount they had set as a target - over $10,000 more!

Each year, teams of walkers take part in this event. The amount of money that is being raised has been increasing with each passing year. While the number of walkers remain more or less the same, the increase has been in the amount of money they have been bringing in. Most of these people have diabetics in their family or among their circle of friends. This is a noble way of telling these patients that there are others that care.

This year, $9,500 of the total amount came from sponsors. The rest came from the participants, who contributed an average of $150 per head. Before the event, these people raise money through collections from individuals and business enterprises, and then take a walk around the park, usually for a distance of a mile or two.

The Other Side of Diabetes Fund-Raising

There are other more valuable incentives besides the money that comes in. The smile on the face of a young diabetic child, for example. Every year, many of the people that participate in the walk have young diabetics in their families, or are diabetics themselves. The sight of other people without this ailment walking along with them sends a strong message of caring and support to these diabetes patients. It helps make their day and bring cheer to their lives. That is the real spirit of the Walk for Diabetes.