Dear 2013 SHELBY GT500 COBRA FASTBACK Owner,

One hundred years ago, she would have died.

In 1913, a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes would have been a death sentence.  Insulin hadn't been discovered yet, and the best hope for surviving another 18 months would have been a strict starvation diet.  As her mother, I would have been forced to watch helplessly as she agonized, and suffered through each of her remaining days.

In 1913, Henry Ford was developing a plan to increase pay for his workers while improving the manufacturing process of the Model T.   Eventually his plan of using an assembly line would become a worldwide standard to provide a foundation for businesses around the globe.  His vision would revolutionize the auto industry, and offer security to his team.

One hundred years ago, one hand would hold despair, while the other held hope.

In 2013, despair has been replaced by hope.

In 2013, FORD created a vehicle specifically to help keep our hope alive. The 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra Fastback was designed to be a tribute car to Carroll Shelby which would be sold at Barrett-Jackson to benefit JDRF.  Mr. Shelby was born the year after insulin was discovered, and died the year before this car would cross the auction block in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A tribute to a lifetime of hope, indeed.

JDRF is the reason my daughter wears an insulin pump.  They're also the reason she has access to a Dexcom G4 continuous glucose monitor.  If not for the tireless efforts of JDRF to push the studies that have proven how technology is beneficial in the management of Type 1 Diabetes, our insurance company would never have approved its use, and we'd never be able to afford to pay for it on our own.  The Artificial Pancreas Project gives greater hope for even better management tools, while research continues down the path of cure and preventative therapies.

But none of it...hope for survival, better treatment options, and a cure...none of it would be possible without the kindhearted generosity of people like you.

As I woke her up, pricked her finger, and measured out her cereal, we knew it was just a matter of time before your heart would cross our path. As we made sure she had enough supplies for the day, and double checked to be sure her pump was holding enough insulin, we knew our day would end with an emotional rush of gratitude.  As I watched the coverage on television from my home, I couldn't help scanning the faces in the crowd, wondering which one would propel our optimism into the future.

She took her place beside Mr. Shelby's car, carrying a sign to remind the world that she's alive.

She's strong.

She's brave.

She's BUILT TOUGH!

But insulin isn't a cure.

The rush of excitement during the auction has become familiar.  You'd think, by now, that I wouldn't get so emotional, but I can't help it.  As soon as I see the car, tears well in my eyes. As the bidding numbers grow, my heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness.  Our family has been witness to incredibly profound generosity, and it serves as a constant reminder of the goodness that exists in the world.

This year, my heart wanted to reach through the TV to hug you.  There...at the very end...beyond even what the video clip shows, I saw you wipe a few tears.  In that moment, I knew you believed in hope too.

I'm not sure how to thank someone for offering such a momentous gift to families, like ours, with a connection with Type 1 Diabetes. Beyond the dollar amount, it's the gift of being blessed. The gift of believing in a better tomorrow.  The gift of knowing we aren't alone.

Thank you for sharing this journey, and reminding us that hope is alive and well.

Related reading:

Barrett-Jackson 2012

Barrett-Jackson 2011

Dear 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Durability Car Owner (and PS - 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca Owner),

I have a confession to make.

Last year, when our family received an invitation to represent the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at the Barrett-Jackson Auction, I had no idea what we were in for.

I scanned the e-mail, saw something about a "car show", and immediately filed it under "Daddy's Sort of Thing" in my mind.  He could take her.  I mean, it was a "car show" -- you know -- like, in a parking lot of a 50's diner or something, right?

Ummm...yeah...

Not quite.

To say that I was blown away would be an understatement.  Skyboxes, and celebrities...fancy cars, fast cars, and cars that made history.  This was the big time, my friends. As a first-timer, I was speechless and overwhelmed by the show of support, cheering crowd, and the incredible vehicle being auctioned to help fund a cure for my daughter -- and the millions of people like her, who are living with Type 1 Diabetes.  When I watched the auction video, I cried.  As I sat down to pour out my heart here, I cried.  I must have cried a million tears of gratitude in the first 24 hours alone.

This year, I was prepared.  I knew what to expect.  I was ready.  I made sure to have the TV on the right station, and my laptop open to watch along with several other mothers who are raising a child with diabetes via my Facebook page.  I also pulled up the Barrett-Jackson Facebook page and Twitter account.  I was going to experience this year's auction *LIVE* from every possible angle, and I was determined not to cry my way through it this time.

Yet, the second I saw this year's car on my TV screen (thank you, SPEED Channel), the tears began to burn.  There it was.  A car that so many people had poured their heart and souls into creating. Much of it had been developed by hand, and then tested on a multitude of race courses.  In fact, Carroll Shelby, himself, piloted this vehicle during its many hours of testing, and it will go down in history as being one of the most powerful vehicles ever built to date.

As soon as I saw it roll onto the auction block, I couldn't fight the tears any longer.  The bidding began, and I found myself flooded with emotions -- wanting so badly to reach through the television and computer screens to hug each person offering a bid.  By the time I heard THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, I was busting at the seams with gratitude, and virtually HI-FIVING all of my online friends.

The whole thing seemed to go much faster this year, and I didn't get to see my girl on TV (though it was fun to see the sign we made for her daddy being sported front and center during the auction).  Even still, all I could think about was how amazing it was that she was able to experience such profound generosity while making these special memories with her father.  From the dedicated FORD Special Vehicle Team who built the car, to the people who organized the stage it was being auctioned on, to you -  the car's new owner - every minute of the 2012 auction means more to our family than you will ever know.

My daughter has had about 23,725 finger pokes since her diagnosis in 2005.  The years have amounted to hundreds of shots, insulin pump sites, and continuous glucose monitor insertions.  We must have counted a million carbs by now and faced a zillion out of range blood sugars.  Knowing that, one day, she will have to take over her care to become independent is daunting.

But knowing that people like you are out there, pouring out your charitable hearts into the organizations that will impact her future reminds me that the best for her is yet to come.

One day, she will say she USED to have Type 1 Diabetes.

YOU will be a part of the reason why.

I'm not sure I can find the words to put that statement into perspective.

And so...

Thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of my (candy) heart.

PS --  To the 2012 Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca Owner...this video doesn't show it, but I heard it.  As the car was being pushed out of view, my heart skipped a beat when they announced that you were donating an additional $50,000 to JDRF.  Suddenly, I felt as if I was in the company of an old friend, even though I was alone in my living room.  The warm fuzzy feeling of knowing that your heart was there, absolutely topped off this year's experience for our family.  I have thought about you and your family every day since last year's auction.

I will never forget you.

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,