On February 29, 2024 I began a new morning routine. The first thing I do when I get out of bed is take a little pill. It’s Levothyroxine, a synthetic version of the hormone thyroxine that’s produced by the thyroid. But on February 29 I had my thyroid removed due to cancer, so now this little morning pill, which I will have to take for the rest of my life, is what will control my body’s metabolism and keep me alive.
On October 4, 2011, my oldest daughter Hannah was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) at age 11. She began a new daily routine that day: pricking her finger to test her blood glucose and injecting herself with insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. But in her case, as with everyone living with T1D, the pancreas stops making insulin, which the body needs to process sugar for energy. So, to stay alive, she needs to inject insulin everyday for the rest of her life (unless, of course, a cure is found).
Watching my daughter navigate through the difficulties of living with T1D, and there have been plenty the past 12+ years, with courage and strength has always been a source of inspiration for me. As I embark on a new normal for me, with plenty of uncertainties and new routines ahead of me as a thyroid cancer survivor, she remains a source of strength and inspiration for me.
It’s that inspiration that led me to come up with a big audacious idea in 2016: assemble a team of riders from a select group of logistics companies to join me for a 102.7-mile bike ride in Death Valley, California to benefit JDRF, the leading non-profit organization focused on T1D research. What started out as an idea became a reality thanks to the generous support of our founding sponsors, and along with donations from family and friends, our inaugural Logistics Leaders for T1D Cure Team (LL4T1DCure) raised $43,000 for JDRF that year. In the years since, our team has raised over $365,000 in support of JDRF’s mission of finding a cure for type 1 diabetes!
Our LL4T1DCure Team will be back on the roads this year participating in various JDRF Rides. I plan to do the Burlington, VT ride on July 13 — just 115 days away! Will I be in shape to cycle 100 miles? The honest answer is I don’t know. It all depends on how my training goes the next few weeks as I regain my strength and fitness. But as competitive as I am, the truth is that the miles don’t really matter. What counts is the money we raise. Every dollar gets us closer to a cure, a world without type 1 diabetes.
The good news is that significant progress has been made on multiple fronts in recent years. But reaching the ultimate goal of a world without T1D requires a lot more research and medical trials — and a lot more money to do the work, which is why fundraising remains so important. Our team goal is to raise $75K this year.
How can you help?
If you’re a supply chain or logistics professional who enjoys cycling, please consider joining our team (cyclists of all abilities welcomed). To learn more about JDRF Rides and sign up, please visit the website. When you register, please select “Logistics Leaders” as your corporate team.
If you just prefer to make a tax-deductible donation to help the cause, you can do so via my rider page.
Finally, you can support JDRF by joining Indago, our supply chain research community. It’s a win-win value proposition: you receive valuable market research that helps you make smarter business decisions, while JDRF receives valuable donations that help it make a difference in people’s lives.
Team Sponsors: Simply put, without the support of team sponsors, the success of our team would not be possible. We’re excited that Tranzact Technologies is returning as a Team Sponsor this year. We have a variety of sponsorship packages still available, which include many benefits, so if you’re interested in learning more, please contact me for details.
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I am often asked, “How are you able to cycle 100 miles?” My standard response is, “One mile at a time.”
I now realize that cycling all these years has prepared me for the road ahead. “How do you live without a thyroid or a functioning pancreas?” The answer is clear: One day at a time, with gratitude and purpose.
Thank you for listening and your support.
