Well over 3,000 kids, families and adults with type 1 diabetes gathered in Orlando earlier this month for the 12th annual Children with Diabetes (CWD) Friends for Life (FFL) Conference. JDRF has been participating in this event for the last nine years, and had a strong presence once again this year.
The event, hosted annually by the CWD group, offers a unique chance for members of the type 1 diabetes community to get together, participate in a variety of educational sessions and family activities, and make and strengthen life-long friendships. Opportunities for the kids included face painting, playing sports and games at the various exhibitor booths and having fun with arts and crafts. The conference this year brought together many first-timers as well as people who have been attending for years. FFL participants also had the chance to meet celebrity guests like Kendall Simmons, Jay Hewitt and Crystal Bowersox!
For this year’s meeting, JDRF provided sponsorship for the science and research-related speaking sessions. Dr. Barbara Araneo, JDRF Scientific Program Director of Complications Research, presented as part of a session on eye care for people with type 1 diabetes. Dr. Araneo discussed both new and existing treatments for diabetic retinopathy, as well as research currently being conducted in the area. Dr. Araneo talked about how adolescence is a risk factor for microvascular complications such as retinopathy, and that JDRF is funding a study in the UK, Australia, and Canada to learn more about this. In speaking about the treatment side, Dr. Araneo discussed VEGF blockers, which are injected into the eye, as an earlier intervention to prevent diabetic retinopathy. She mentioned a recent study in which approximately half of the people received this treatment, in combination with laser therapy, had an improvement in vision of at least two lines on an eye chart after one year. VEGF blockers are currently approved in Europe, but not yet in the U.S.
Another notable session featured an Artificial Pancreas update from two JDRF-funded researchers, Dr. Stuart Weinzimer from Yale and Dr. Edward Damiano from Boston University. During the talk, Dr. Weinzimer spoke about closed loop trials his team has been conducting using a new algorithm and Dr. Damiano discussed his research using a bi-hormonal closed loop system that delivers both insulin and small doses of glucagon. It is hoped that together, insulin and glucagon, could help individuals with type 1 diabetes more easily manage their blood sugar levels.
JDRF’s presence in the FFL exhibit hall this year proved to be very exciting as well. Carol Oxenreiter, JDRF’s National Volunteer Outreach Chair, was among the group of special guests at the JDRF booth. Ms. Oxenreiter spoke directly with families to answer questions about outreach and support programs and services. Dr. Araneo also spent time at the booth answering questions about research. Ms. Oxenreiter and Dr. Araneo could both be found near the kids table, where they assisted those who dropped by to “bling” their glucose meters and insulin pumps with stickers and other decorations.
A more extensive overview of the speaking sessions and exhibit hall activities is available on our live Juvenation blog. The blog includes entries from attendees who stopped by the JDRF booth to share their thoughts and feelings about the conference, and photos that capture some of the excitement from this year’s FFL.
As always, this year’s Friends for Life provided a great opportunity to connect with people of all ages and stages of type 1 diabetes. JDRF looks forward to continuing its partnership with Children with Diabetes and joining the type 1 diabetes community at this unique event.
Last week, JDRF staff and volunteers had the opportunity to join the T1D community at another successful