Diabetes sucks. (Sorry mom, but it does and there’s not really a nicer way to say that.) Some days, it’s really hard and other days, it’s barely noticeable. Diabetes is part of my story though. On the hard days, it’s easy to fall into a pit of despair. But I’m not the only one who struggles with something. We all have tough things we trudge through, hard events that mold us and shape us, devastating experiences we’d rather not have as part of our stories. But we all have them, and we all fight to continue through this beautiful life, hopefully stronger for what we’ve endured. Diabetes is that for me — something that makes me a better and stronger person.
Last weekend, I rode a metric century in Nashville as part of the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes program. I proudly wore my blue jersey identifying myself as a type 1 diabetic. Pinned to the top near my shoulder were two beads. I purchased the beads from Beads of Courage, a program that uses colorful beads to encourage children fighting cancer. Each bead tells a story of strength, honor and hope. My beads were TEAM beads, and they rode the entire Nashville route pinned to my jersey. After the ride was completed, I shared my story on a card and explained where the beads traveled while in my care. I mailed my note and one of the beads back to Beads of Courage where it will be gifted to a child fighting cancer. The goal is to encourage this child to keep fighting and not to give up.
We all struggle. We all fight hard battles and continually rage in wars we’re not equipped to fight alone. Some are inner firestorms while others are outward battles. But we all live in a fallen world and we can’t do this alone. We’re not meant to do it alone. I haven’t successfully lived two decades with diabetes by myself; I’ve done it with the help of those around me. Childhood cancer is no different in that respect. It takes a village and a tremendous network of support. So while I can’t reach out and hug the child who will receive my JDRF bead, I can share a piece of my story with them and encourage them to continue the long road ahead. I can pray for them and the long road they face ahead.
I hope this bead will remind a child somewhere that there’s a downhill to follow this upward climb. As a cyclist, I can ensure the downhill is always worth the climb. So many of you are athletes, so I encourage you to participate in the Beads of Courage TEAM bead program. It’s an inexpensive, tax-deductible donation for the beads, but the encouragement you can provide for a child is priceless.
Thank you for considering, and thank you to Sydney who first shared Beads of Courage with me and for always being an inspiration to keep fighting!