Promise To Remember Me

 Representative Thomas Sawyer (OH-14)

4/29/02

Kent State University, Kent OH

Pictured with Representative Sawyer:

Stephanie Treubig age 9

Attending but not pictured:

Jeff and Donna Treubig

Matt, Lynne and Daniel Rice age 7

Nick Kostandaras

 On April 29, 2002 Jeff, Donna and Stephanie Treubig, Matt, Lynne and Daniel Rice and Nick Kostandaras met for 20 minutes with Congressman Thomas Sawyer at Kent State University. Donna thanked the Congressman for his past support and briefly explained to him the JDRF Promise To Remember Me Campaign. Congressman Sawyer thanked the families for being so brave in dealing with diabetes and for being the main catalyst that has kept the funding for research increasing over the years. He said that teaching the children how to advocate for their cause would be very important to the outcome of finding a cure as well as benefit them as they grow older. He was very positive and supportive about new research avenues leading to a cure in the lifetime of the children who have diabetes today. Stephanie Treubig thanked Congressman Sawyer for his support of diabetes research, and described her everyday routine of managing her diabetes. She explained how she has to test her blood sugar at least 5 times a day and receives 3 insulin shots a day. Stephanie was wearing her JDRF Walk tee shirt that has 93 red ribbons attached to it symbolizing how many shots she gets each month. Stephanie presented Congressman Sawyer with a picture of herself from her web site that charts all of her advocacy, public speaking, and fundraising activities, and a teddy bear and asked him to remember her when he is making decisions to allocate funding for juvenile diabetes research to help find a cure for diabetes. Daniel told Congressman Sawyer that he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes in July of 2002 and doesn’t like to have to test all the time. He gave the Congressman a picture of himself on the paper that he read from.

 Matt explained to Congressman Sawyer what a misunderstood disease juvenile diabetes is. He said that many people don’t know that these kids will not just grow out of it.  He gave Congressman Sawyer a fact sheet that he made up that listed diabetes facts, complications and funding statistics. Matt shared with the Congressman that while the children look normal and healthy today it is the future that worries most parents of children with diabetes. Matt thanked the Congressman for being so supportive of research that will lead to a cure and knowledgeable about current diabetes research.