Thousands to attend Georgia's JDRF One Walk at Atlantic Station on Sat. Oct. 29 – CBS News

Watch CBS News
By Valencia Jones
October 27, 2022 / 9:25 AM / CW69 Atlanta
ATLANTA (WUPA) — The JDRF One Walk is expected to draw thousands of people to Atlantic Station this weekend, raising funds for Type 1 diabetes research.
After two years of virtual walks, about 5,000 people are expected to take part in the walk, which is organized by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
JDRF Board President Andy Wise knows first-hand why the walk is so vital.
“My brother got Type 1 diabetes when he was 26 years old, and then, three years later, when I was 31 years old, I got it as an adult,” Wise said.
Both adults and children struggle with the disease, and if left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, and in some cases, death. They rely on research and technology to manage their blood sugar levels.
“When I first started, I used to prick my finger 7 to 10 times a day,” said Wise. “Now, I wear a sensor on my hip, and I scan it with my mobile phone, and it tells me right away. Pretty soon, next month, I’ll be able to look at my mobile phone and not even have to scan it.”
The One Walk supports diabetes research and allows the community to participate in efforts to find a cure through donations. After the walk, they’ll continue raising funds through November.  
“We’re a little past halfway towards our goal. Our goal at the end of all of this is about a million dollars,” said JDRF Georgia and South Carolina Executive Director Sara Orrell. “We’re really hoping, being back in person this year, that our fundraising is going to grow back to the way it was pre-pandemic.”
More than a million Americans are battling Type 1 diabetes, and it impacts hundreds of thousands of children in Georgia.
“In the last two years, I can share that there have been over 1,000 children that were diagnosed, just in the Metro Atlanta area, with Type 1 diabetes,” Orrell said.
Check-in is at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, and they’ll have lots of activities before and after the walk.
For details on how to register and donate, click here: https://www.jdrf.org/georgiasouthcarolina/
First published on October 27, 2022 / 9:38 AM
© 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
©2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

source