THE STORY OF ONE FAMILY'S JOURNEY WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES AND CELIAC DISEASE.
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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Dear 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca Owner,

I am completely blown away by your incredible generosity.  You made history last night at Barrett-Jackson when you won the auction, and the keys to this amazing vehicle, for a whopping $450,000!


The 2012 Boss is the fastest Mustang that Ford has ever created.  The car you took ownership of last night is the ONLY 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 that will ever be produced.  (On a side note, the color blue has a very special meaning.)  It boasts a long list of amazing features, but the most stunning of them all cannot be reproduced, manufactured, or assembled on a production line.  YOUR (Candy) HEART is, by far, the feature that makes this vehicle the most distinguished of them all.


You see, every dollar (above MSRP) is being donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  JDRF is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder of and advocate for type 1 diabetes research. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.


I cannot help but to wonder if you, somehow, have a connection to Type 1 Diabetes.  I wonder if you understand the daily struggle of trying to balance carbohydrates, insulin, activity, and health.  The challenge of managing school, birthday parties, and sports.  The thrill of victory when a target blood sugar is achieved, or the battle that ensues when a child with diabetes become ill.  The worry about complications -- blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, nerve damage...the paralyzing fear that "Dead In Bed Syndrome" could take her while she's sleeping.  The heartache that comes with knowing that she will never outgrow this disease, and will depend on insulin via injections or an infusion every single day in order to survive.


OR....perhaps you DO know all of these things.  Perhaps you know them firsthand, because either you or a loved one has been affected by Type 1 Diabetes.  There's so much I don't know about what motivated your heart's decision to pour out this incredible act of kindness.


I mean, after all, I don't even know your name.


But, I do know that I woke up today feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, and thankful for your astounding generosity.  I'm thankful to FORD for creating this incredible vehicle, specifically designed to support JDRF.  I'm thankful to Bret Michaels for taking the time to support this event while connecting with the T1 community.  I'm thankful to JDRF for their steadfast dedication and commitment to finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.  


Today I praise God for each of these abundant blessings and thank you, one and all, for helping us keep HOPE alive in our hearts for a cure.


Age 7 years
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2005, at the age of 24 months

By the way, she had at least a million inquires about the hair embellishment she was wearing.
She was sporting a BLUE CIRCLE flower from the Candy Hearts Collection by Gigi and Lula.
She also sent one home for Bret's daughter, Raine, who has been diagnosed with "borderline diabetes".

BUILT TOUGH!


THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


Meeting Fellow T1 Rockstar, Bret Michaels!

A Daddy Daughter Date...and memories they will share forever!


Watch the auction!  It gives me chills everytime I see the overwhelming generosity in action...listen to the crowd cheering the way to a cure and KEEPING HOPE ALIVE!  {Side note:  The camera spans over to the kids several times.  You can see Sugar in the front row!}


From My Candy Heart To Yours,
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17 comments:

  1. Your daughter is a little princess! I can't thank you enough for all you do to spread the awareness of Type 1 diabetes. You are a voice for each and every one of us D-moms and D-kids. You are truly a blessing to all of us! Thank you!

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  2. I love this! I also love that Mr Rose is sporting a Seahawks tee in the photo. Go Seattle! Too bad last weeks game didn't bring them a win. We were hoping for a Superbowl championship this year.

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  3. I am focused on the hair accessory Wendy! I am a hair accessory wearer, lover, collector! LOL.

    Looks like a wonderful night! So glad that your husband and Sugar were able to attend such a terrific event.

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  4. I LOVE it! I love the pics, the flower, the signs, Bret... And most of all the generosity of the winner!

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  5. Wow! Love little bit sitting there with her sign and at one point her hands on her chin....she looked SO cute!

    Go Brett! You can be cheezy...but YOU rock!

    That blue is so much prettier than Iroc blue!

    Nice memory! Great job representing!!!

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  6. That is awesome with the amount of money that car raised!! My husband works for Ford and the company raises MILLIONS of dollars each year for T1 Diabetes.
    Your daughter looked like she had a great time! We are so excited that they were able to go, for them and us it was more then just another car auction. I too would be interested in knowing who won.
    Kelly Harp

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  7. Brett - Brett - Brett - oh how I love your pouty lips, rock star hair and oh yea you fantastical generosity! OMG - how cool is that Sugar got her pic taken with BM? SO COOL!

    I LOVE the hair clip - - - so super cute! I can't wait to see more!

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  8. Nothing but a whole lot of awesomeness happening in this post, Wendy!

    Sugar is one gorgeous little girl. Hope the hubby has a shotgun and rocking chair ready for teh front porch ;)

    Great story, photos and post!

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  9. Wow! So awesome that so much money was raised for JDRF! Love love love Sugar's hair embellishment! Can't wait to see what Candy Hearts & Gigi and Lula have coming up :)

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  10. Dear Candy Hearts,

    My son saw your blog and told me that I should read your letter to us. I appreciate your kind words and thought I would answer some of your questions.

    Type I and Type II Diabetes does run in our family. My brother and I both have Type II and our grandfather died from complications related to Type I. In addition, I know many people (mostly children and young adults) that have Type I. Before I was diagnosed with Type II this past year, I was contributing to other causes related to children and teens with a special cause being a camp in Noblesville, Indiana operated by the Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana. In addition to my passion to support “our” youth, I am a Mustang and Shelby enthusiast. I grew up in a time when muscle cars were an everyday thing. In high school, my brother and I both had 1970 Boss 302 Mustangs. Guess what….. my Boss 302 was Grabber Blue. Since that time, I have been a lifelong advocate for Ford. So…… when you consider everything….. I thought this was an “opportunity of a lifetime” to work with Ford and to be a part of their “pay it forward” efforts with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

    I have requested that Barrett-Jackson, JDRF, and Ford to allow me to make this contribution anonymously. My family and I do not seek any recognition and only want the satisfaction of knowing this contribution will strengthen the focus on this disease and ultimately a cure.

    Sincerely,

    The 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca Owner.

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  11. Dear Awesome Owner,

    Thank you for taking the time to share a little about your story. I'm inspired beyond words and genuinely grateful.

    The color thing is amazing to me! That just puts the icing on an already incredible (grabber blue) cake!

    Please know that you have created a memory that will a part of our family forever. When my daughter grows up, and has a family of her own, she will tell them about the time her daddy took her to a car show where she witnessed a most profound act of generosity.

    Who knows? Maybe she'll also be telling them about what it USED to be like to have Type 1 Diabetes.

    God Bless,
    A Family Who Will Never Forget You.

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  12. Reading the last two comments has brought tears to my eyes.
    Its such a blessing to know that there are such wonderful and generous - truly GOOD people in this world.
    God bless you, Mr. 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca Owner. And God bless YOU, Wendy, for sharing the story with us.

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  13. Wendy: This is outstanding, and incredibly awesome. I wanted to reach out and say that, even a couple months later. Your daughter looks like she had a great time, and what a memory for your family to have! Dear Anonymous: Thank you so incredibly much. Not only for what you've done overall here, but also the Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana. I've recently joined the board for this organization and love being a part of the camp, and your generosity is going to make so much of a difference to these kids who visit the camp each year. I've been a Type 1 for most of my life since age and am a part of the JDRF-ADA-DYFI and others locally & nationally, and seeing this kind of generosity from people like you - especially those who do it without name recognition - touches my soul and gives me hope beyond belief. Hope that we will indeed find a cure, because of this kind of generosity. Again, thank you so much.

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Candy Comment Love!

P.S. (Moderation has been enabled due to mega-spamming sugar cubes.)

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While I'm happy to share our experiences with what works, and what doesn't work, for the management of Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease in our house, please do not mistake anything you read here for medical advice. Decisions regarding your/your child's health care should be made only with the assistance of your medical care team. Use any information from this blog at your own risk.