JDNL’s Mission
The mission of Juvenile Diabetes No Limits Foundation is to provide motivation and support for the pursuit of active and exceptional lifestyles by individuals with Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes. The Foundation is a different voice helping kids, teens and young adults with juvenile diabetes realize it is possible to achieve their dreams by breaking down self-imposed limitations created by the disease.
The Foundation’s hand’s-on Check B4U Drive program quickly became its “flagship”. It not only brings the issues of diabetes management and safe driving together, it brings teens with diabetes together who would not normally have a chance to meet, share stories and becomes friends.
JDNL’s Goals
No Limits. When informed a child has T1 diabetes, a parent’s natural reaction may be to ‘shelter them’ and impose limits – consciously and/or unconsciously. Misperceptions that juvenile diabetes will cause years of hospital stays and medical problems are not necessarily true. Many examples exist of individuals – many in the field of sports – who have accomplished great things while actively managing their diabetes and not letting it control their lives.
Helping kids, teens and young adults understand they don’t have to set aside their dreams is the underlying foundation on which JDNL was formed.
Since starting in 2009, JDNL has extended its network of organizations and individuals helping people with diabetes. Individuals using the “blog” as a bully pulpit to inform; helping with eating disorders so as to avoid major health consequences; developing products to let others know diabetes could be involved in a medical situation. In all cases, helping people live better with diabetes leads full-circle to the notion of “no limits and achieving your dreams”.