Mary Lou Notaro is the Advocacy Team Chair for JDRF’s Western New York Chapter. She has had type 1 diabetes (T1D) for more than twenty years and also interacts with many T1D patients as community pharmacist. She became involved with JDRF Advocacy after a patient and friend on the Western New York Board of Directors invited her to participate – without even knowing that Mary Lou also had T1D.

Soon after joining the Western New York Board, Government Day hooked Mary Lou on Advocacy. “I headed down to D.C. for the Government Day activities, and the rest is history,” she said. Government Day remains her favorite JDRF Advocacy event because she loves the “research briefings, lessons in government, technology solutions, advocacy lessons, tons of support, and great results!”

Since Mary Lou has been involved in JDRF Advocacy for so long, she has seen amazing advances in T1D technology over the years. “At my first Government Day, a dad talked about his wife using a pager to send him his child’s readings,” Mary Lou said. “Now, parents are using ‘the cloud’ to view CGM results.” She said that knowing these technological advancements are the result of JDRF Advocacy is most rewarding about her position. Through JDRF Advocacy she sees “research leading to positive results, everyday use of medications and technology that came from our endeavors…and JDRF kids conquering the world.”

Her biggest challenge while advocating for JDRF has been “always feeling like I could do more.” She advises those considering involvement in JDRF Advocacy to not be intimidated. “You already possess the most important tools for successful advocacy,” Mary Lou said. “Your voice and your story are more powerful than you know. The JDRF Advocacy community is a passionate, committed and amazing group of people, and there is a great deal of help available all along the way.”

Mary Lou summed up her JDRF Advocacy experience in just a few words: Cure-focused, world-changing, driven by love.