The Hawaii Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation was formed in the spring of 1989 by Hollis Wright, mother of Erin, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the first grade. The overwhelming news was made even more difficult when Erin’s family found that there were few resources, little information, and no support system in place for families facing this lifetime sentence of insulin dependence. They worked to assemble a small group of interested community members and parents of children with diabetes who all made a commitment to JDRF’s mission to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

The Chapter’s first fundraising event featured Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner in the production “Love Letters”, staged in 1992. Encouraged by the response, plans were laid to stage Hawaii’s first Walk to Cure Diabetes in 1994, with Nick Cutter of Cutter Automotive as the Corporate Walk Chair.

Now 20 years later, JDRF is firmly in place as a resource for newly diagnosed families and has a full calendar of fundraising, outreach support and educational events to support island families living with type 1 diabetes.

 About JDRF

JDRF is the worldwide leader for research to cure type 1 diabetes.  It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal.  Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump – each day, every day of their lives.  And even with that intensive care, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.5 billion to diabetes research, including $107 million last year.  More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. For more information, please visit www.jdrf.org.