JDRF was founded 42 years ago, by parents of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in 1970. For the past 42 years, JDRF staff and volunteers have worked together to fund research aimed at finding a cure, better treating and preventing T1D. This year, the JDRF Annual Report 2012 highlights 42 specific milestones in T1D research, awareness and advocacy. We celebrate these 42 milestones that are the result of your hard work! Just as it was back then, JDRF is a volunteer-led organization – and 42 years later, we applaud you, our volunteers and Advocates, for advancing T1D research and awareness to levels never imagined. For that we can only say: Thank You.

In our 42nd year, you arranged over 450 meetings with Members of Congress. You signed and sent the Artificial Pancreas petition to your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.  Thanks to you, over 100,000 people made sure the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) knew how important guidance on the artificial pancreas system is to the T1D community. And in closing out the year, just a few weeks ago, you mobilized with great force and urgency over the renewal of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) before Congress adjourned for the year. Without your calls and emails and personal interactions and visits, $150 million per year for critical T1D research could have been lost.  But you made sure it wasn’t – Thank You.
 
In the last 42 years, maybe we have been pushy, we sent you too many letters, faxes, telephone calls and now emails and we often ask you to drop what you’re doing and act right now, immediately.  And in all those years, we have always counted on our volunteers and our advocates. Why? Because every time, we know you are always willing to help! We know that together, we will find a cure through continued diabetes research. Together and through our constant awareness efforts, we will let the world know of this insidious disease and we will make sure Congress knows JDRF and knows how important it is to fully fund type 1 diabetes research to better the lives of our loved one(s) once and for all.
 
So this year’s Annual Report is a celebration of 42 of the unique people, programs and signs of progress that compel people to join JDRF Advocacy and tirelessly work to accomplish our goals.  JDRF has too many stories to ever tell them all, but rest assured, if we had all the space in the Library of Congress, we could start filling it immediately with the stories and many successes of your hard work and dedicated efforts.

We can never say it enough: so from our family to yours, Thank You for all that you do!  We hope you’ll like the JDRF Annual Report 2012.