Leading figures from the entertainment, television, and professional sports arenas will join more than 150 children and teenage delegates from all over the United States and abroad, as well as JDRF's International Chairman Mary Tyler Moore, for JDRF's 2011 Children's Congress from June 20 to June 22, 2011. While in Washington, D.C., they will advocate for urgent regulatory action to advance the artificial pancreas and continued support of federal funding for research for a cure for type 1 diabetes - a disease that affects all the celebrities and the young delegates in attendance at the event.
Olympic gold medalist and swimmer Gary Hall Jr., professional LPGA golfer Carling Coffing, winner of Amazing Race 17 Dr. Nat Strand, and NFL football player Kendall Simmons are among the panelists for JDRF's Town Hall panel, "Role Models with Type 1 Diabetes." ESPN anchor Brian Kenny is the emcee for the panel. Joining the panelists will be JDRF's Assistant Vice President of Treatment Therapies Aaron Kowalski, Ph.D. The Town Hall is an opportunity for the delegates to interact with these diverse professionals, as they share their experiences of managing the disease while pursuing their professional dreams. The event will take place on Tuesday, June 21, at 10:30 a.m. ET in the J.W. Marriott Hotel, located on 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. This portion of the Town Hall panel will be webcast live at www.cc.jdrf.org/LIVE. Viewers can also join the conversation by following @JDRFAdvocacy on Twitter, and add the hashtag, #JDRFcc11.
Following the Town Hall panel, recording artist Crystal Bowersox will lead the event's traditional performance of the "Promise to Remember Me" song on Tuesday, June 21 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Upper Senate Park, located at 200 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. "This song and its message will remind Congress that diabetes research can help improve my life, the lives of others living with type 1 diabetes, and can eventually eliminate the disease once and for all," said Bowersox in her video announcement about joining Children's Congress.
"We are thrilled to have such a dynamic group of people joining us this year," said JDRF Children's Congress 2011 Chair Stefany Shaheen. "They each have a unique story of perseverance, dedication, and strength that we hope will inspire our delegates and their families, and provide a positive example in the fight against this disease."
JDRF's Children's Congress, one of the most powerful advocacy events on Capitol Hill, has been held every other year since 1999 and become the largest media and grassroots advocacy event held in support of finding better treatments and a cure for type 1 diabetes. The child delegates with type 1 diabetes will talk about the personal impact the disease has made on their bodies and their lives. This event is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the selected delegates, who will visit with legislators and administration officials to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes, and participate in personal advocacy at the highest levels of the U.S. government.
This year, the delegates will urge federal officials to take immediate action to accelerate the regulatory process for research and review of artificial pancreas systems, which could transform the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. Delegates will also advocate for continued federal commitment for diabetes research and thank Congress for its renewal last December of the Special Diabetes Program, which accounts for one-third of all federal research for type 1 diabetes.
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. Diabetes accounts for $174 billion in health care costs in the United States each year.
About the JDRF Children's Congress 2011 Celebrity
Advocates:
Crystal Bowersox
Crystal Bowersox began performing professionally at the age of 10 and was writing songs by the age of 13. Before landing a spot on the ninth season of America Idol, Crystal got her start playing in roadside diners and coffee houses. Six months before heading to Chicago to compete on American Idol, Crystal won the Blade Battle of the Bands competition in Toledo. Her debut album, Farmer's Daughter, was released in December 2010 under Jive Records. Crystal will lead the Song Performance, "Promise to Remember Me" at Children's Congress.
