The entry of April 8 is entitled “I am a fat boy now“. It’s a copy of a  letter from Teddy Rider, a young Canadian boy, to Frederick Banting, one of the discoverers of insulin in the 1920′s.  Also posted is the telegram from the Nobel Prize committee notifying Dr. Banting of his selection to win the 1923 Nobel Prize for Medicine, along with J.R.R. Macleod, for the discovery.

Sometimes we forget just how recent some of these discoveries are.

In 1897 [just 25 years prior to the discovery of insulin], the average life expectancy for a 10-year-old child with diabetes is about 1 year. Diagnosis at age 30 carries a life expectancy of about 4 years. A newly diagnosed 50-year-old might live 8 more years.

By 1945 [25 years after the discovery of insulin], a newly diagnosed 10-year-old has a life expectancy of 45 years; a 30-year-old has 30.5 more years; and a 50-year-old might have 16 more years to live. The life expectancy for people with diabetes in 2004 is still lower than that for the general population by about 15 years.†

Please help us continue the research, outreach, support, and treatment by joining us or sponsoring a rider.

April Fools’ Day has come and gone and that means New England Classic riders need to get down to business. There are almost 24 million people in this country with diabetes counting on us to get serious about raising the funds that will help improve their lives and find a cure for the disease they battle every day.

It looks like here in New England we can actually put aside those plans for building an ark and tune up the bike. Get on the road and start training folks. It’s now less than 100 days – 99 to be exact – before we roll out of Chomerics on Day 1 of the NEC. A well-trained butt is a happy butt so we need you to get yours on the bike so it’s merrily riding along with us in July.

As for fund raising, the sooner you get started the sooner you’ll have raised well more than the minimum.  It’s all about just asking. Whether it’s in person, by phone, in a letter or email, you need to take that first step of asking people if they would like to help defeat an insidious disease afflicting their neighbors, co-workers, friends and family. That’s no exaggeration. Almost 8 percent of the U.S. population or about 1 in 13 people have diabetes.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t be shy. Make your fund-raising efforts something everyone will want to be a part of. Maybe this time of year you can give out jelly beans to everyone who contributes. And when they say, “But diabetes and candy don’t seem to mix,” simply explain that the NEC is “a sweet ride to beat diabetes”. At the same time you’re reminding them that the simple pleasure of a sweet treat that they take for granted isn’t such a simple matter for people with diabetes.

Now don’t finish reading this and make the mistake of telling your self that July is still a long way off. It’s really not. With your training and fund-raising it pays to build momentum early. No ride is too short because every mile in the saddle makes a difference.  No contribution is too small because every dollar makes a difference.

See you on the road.

YOUR BUTT BELONGS HERE

In February your heart belonged to your valentine. Well, it’s March now and regardless of how you fared romantically your butt belongs with us — on a bike that is — in July, riding to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.

The 2010 New England Classic rolls out in just 4-1/2 months, just 19 weeks or just 132 days depending on how you choose to count. But no matter how you count it’s closer than you think. And if you haven’t registered to ride yet it’s way too close. What are you waiting for? Spring?? Spring doesn’t really exist in New England. So if you are already sick of winter do your psyche some good and pretend it’s already summer.

What does that mean? That means the NEC is just around the corner and you better get your butt in gear, get registered, start fund-raising and at least think about training!

Don’t believe me? I’ll tell you what. Go down to Parker-Hannifin Chomerics at 77 Dragon Court in Woburn at 1 p.m. Saturday and tell me you don’t see a bunch of cyclists talking about this great ride around New England they are doing to support the American Diabetes Association. There’s no surer sign of summer than a gathering of the NEC Caravan of Crazies.

See you there at the Rider Roundup.

The American Diabetes Association has this to say:

Ketoacidosis (key-toe-ass-i-DOE-sis) is a serious condition that can lead to diabetic coma (passing out for a long time) or even death. When your cells don’t get the glucose they need for energy, your body begins to burn fat for energy, which produces ketones. Ketones are acids that build up in the blood and appear in the urine when your body doesn’t have enough insulin. They are a warning sign that your diabetes is out of control or that you are getting sick. High levels of ketones can poison the body. When levels get too high, you can develop diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.

(Click the above paragraph for full description.)

Ketoacidosis occurs primarily in those with type-1 and, while rare, it does occur in those with type-2.

Please support us in our search for a cure.

Punxsutawney Phil

OK, you varmints, it’s time to crawl out of your hole and get with the program. That’s right, it’s Groundhog Day and I’m back – again – to harass, remind, haunt, plead, implore, beg or whatever else it takes to get you to register for the American Diabetes Association’s 2010 New England Classic.

This year’s tour is shaping up to be the best ever. We’ve already hit the 60-rider mark and are aiming for all-time highs in riders and fund-raising. But we need you to make this happen. If you’re a veteran rider, don’t make like that petulant Punxsutawney character hunkered down on Gobbler’s Knob waiting for spring. Sub-freezing temperatures are absolutely perfect for registering as a rider in the New England Classic. You don’t have to leave the house or even get out of your PJs.

Just go to http://main.diabetes.org/nectourdecure and sign up. Right now! There’s no time like the present to start raising funds for the ADA. In fact, you should take the same approach to fund-raising and training – early and often.

Day One is just 23 weeks from this Saturday and soon you’ll hear more about our annual Rider Roundup on March 6, where you can trade stories from past years, make plans for this year and meet new riders. We’ve got four weeks until the Roundup and I say we should celebrate it with a century – that’s right 100 riders registered. What did you think I was suggesting, a 100-mile training ride? Not yet. But I just may celebrate with a ride to the Roundup if we hit 100 riders.

If Americans don’t eat better and exercise more, diabetes cases will double by 2034 and costs to care for the patients will triple, according to a new report that paints a bleak picture of the future.

Cases to double! Costs to triple!

Come help prevent this prediction from becoming true.

Register, raise funds, and ride the New England Classic.

Our lovely and talented volunteers will be at the booth from 9:00 to 1:00 to answer any questions you might have about the NEC, and what’s involved in participating.

See you there?

Last year, TT1′s Matt Wilson won KOM and was 4th in GC.

Lindsay

You can visit us at the Diabetes EXPO (it’s free!) THIS Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Boston Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 10am – 4pm to meet cyclists already training for the upcoming Tours! We’ve got long-time rider, Lindsay, from the NEC Tour de Cure spinning for the entire event, a total of 6 hrs!

She’s peddling with a purpose and hoping to re-recruit YOU! Stop by the Tour de Cure booth at the EXPO and chat it up with other veteran riders as well.

If you can’t make it out this weekend – you can still take advantage of the great EXPO rate!

• Simply visit: http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=BfjMo1j1kf6kjW96DwhRYw..
• Click the “Register as an Individual (or if you’d rather: “Create a Team”, or “Join a Team”)
• At the Registration page use the Promotional Code  EXPO (all caps) to utilize this ONE TIME $20 registration fee.
• Then, well – you know the drill! Fill out the necessary contact info and registration info we need in order to set you back on track to ride in the NEC Tour de Cure!

http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=1MXf2eDudgMICik7suj0wg..

This offer is valid ONLY from Friday, 3/12/09, at 6am through Sunday, 3/15/09, until 11:45pm.

Register today & tell your teammates!

If you are a returning Team Captain:

• ( re)recruit at least 5 other riders for your team
• raise $5,000 as a team

You will get our new ADA Tour de Cure arm warmers! These slick sleeves will keep you comfortable while blazing trails in near-blizzard conditions!

Hope to see you this weekend – or hear from you soon!

Warm regards,
~Ryan, your-Friendly-Neighborhood-ADA-Guy
Associate Manager, New England Classic Tour de Cure
American Diabetes Association
80 Elm Street
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (888) 342-2383 x3456
Fax: (207) 774-7714
rwilliams@diabetes.org

JOIN OUR FIGHT AGAINST DIABETES:
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/R?i=KEak01kVjDvNseqSaScrJA..
Who Are YOU Fighting For?
American Diabetes Association
Cure. Care. Commitment.