Two announcements!

[MagsRM23]

Hey guys! I have two announcements. First of all, have you seen the new JDRF CURE diabetes bracelets? They're very cool! They look like the popular "Livestrong" bracelets but they're a really pretty blue. All proceeds go to JDRF for research to help find a cure. Second, I heard on the Today show this morning that researchers in Florida have isolated a protein that will make embryonic stem cells take the first step to becoming insulin-producing islet cells. If this is successful it would get rid of the need for cadaver donors for islet cell transplantations. Isn't that exciting? I thought I'd share the news with you. I havne't been able to find any news articles online about it but I'll keep looking. Have a wonderful day! :p

-Maggie

**Message edited to remove the link that sells the bracelets. While the intention may be positive, the link could not be validated and may violate forum rules. Members who are interested in the bracelets may contact MagsRM23 by pm for more information. TAutry**

[archimeech]

The last statement in this article dealing with the topic is very disheartening:
from the article-http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/02/23/hscout524154.html

"This is far away from clinical application," Sanberg said. "But it offers new insight into drug discoveries for turning on stem cells in our own bodies and growing stem cells in the laboratory."

My bets are all on Dr. Denise Faustman at Mass. General, in Boston. She has some surprising results so far. She has "cured" what they call NOD-mice or Non Obese Diabetic Mice. NOD-mice mimick what happens in a T1 diabetic. Now she's working on raising money for her Human Trials. The faster she can do this, that faster we all can stop thinking about: what we eat/exercise/stress/insulin/boluses & basals/injections and pumps. Lee Iacocca is backing her and has started raising money for her, but she isn't getting any of the press, due to the fact that her approach is simple and contains no expensive drugs or proceedures. It also isn't part of the "Stem Cell" craze. While I'm interested in what stem cells can do, I'm not too keen on the immunosupression that we will all be on. Her's is a simple method, using simple, cheap, readily available medicines to stop the immune onslaught and regrow the islet/beta cells.
A little light reading for those interested:
http://www.cureautoimmunity.org/NAT...%20ORIGINAL.pdf
http://www.worldmag.com/subscriber/...le.cfm?id=10284
http://diabetes.about.com/od/search...tspleencell.htm

[LauRa Lu]

Hey guys! I have two announcements. First of all, have you seen the new JDRF CURE diabetes bracelets? They're very cool!

These bracelets are a great idea, the cure cancer ones, diabetes ones and all the others.... But how can we be sure the money is actually going anywhere?.! If I knew 100% that the money was going to be used for its purpose then I'd buy them, but i dont feel you can ever be sure. I would maybe only ever buy them from an official site.

[jeggeman31]

But how can we be sure the money is actually going anywhere

Good point. :thumbsup:

[mark-TN]

The last statement in this article dealing with the topic is very disheartening:
from the article-http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/02/23/hscout524154.html

"This is far away from clinical application," Sanberg said. "But it offers new insight into drug discoveries for turning on stem cells in our own bodies and growing stem cells in the laboratory."

My bets are all on Dr. Denise Faustman at Mass. General, in Boston. She has some surprising results so far. She has "cured" what they call NOD-mice or Non Obese Diabetic Mice. NOD-mice mimick what happens in a T1 diabetic. Now she's working on raising money for her Human Trials. The faster she can do this, that faster we all can stop thinking about: what we eat/exercise/stress/insulin/boluses & basals/injections and pumps. Lee Iacocca is backing her and has started raising money for her, but she isn't getting any of the press, due to the fact that her approach is simple and contains no expensive drugs or proceedures. It also isn't part of the "Stem Cell" craze. While I'm interested in what stem cells can do, I'm not too keen on the immunosupression that we will all be on. Her's is a simple method, using simple, cheap, readily available medicines to stop the immune onslaught and regrow the islet/beta cells.
A little light reading for those interested:
http://www.cureautoimmunity.org/NAT...%20ORIGINAL.pdf
http://www.worldmag.com/subscriber/...le.cfm?id=10284
http://diabetes.about.com/od/search...tspleencell.htm

Also- The JDRF has turned down Dr. Faustman's requests for funding on I think three occations. Pharmaceutical companies have also turned her down. My money is on her research also.

Mark

[MagsRM23]

I'll have to read all of those articles when I get a chance. And as for not knowing if the money is actually going to the cause, it is the nationally recognized JDRF bracelet, and I'm not really a skeptic or a pessimist, so I just bought them. Even if it isn't actually going to JDRF (which I HIGHLY doubt), it has made people at school ask me what it says and raised awareness about the disease and the fact that insulin is not a cure, and that's the least I can ask for. But, I think it's safe to say that your money will benefit diabetes research.

-Maggie

[archimeech]

Exactly Mark! It's a good, cheap, probable cure and no one wants to back her. Reminds me of that line in the movie "Contact". "When all other possibilities are exhausted, usually the simplest answer is correct." (or something to that effect) When you go to Iacocca's site to donate to her research, 100% of the money you donate goes to it. That's the only fundraising campaign I know of that does that.

[nantomsuethom]

We are doing the JDRF walk this weekend (we raised $1115.00). My kids plan on buying the bracelets there to add to their collection!

[ksa01]

If anyone wants to find out exactly how nonprofit organizations use the money they receive as donation, you can do so rather easily on line. In the US all non-profits must have a 501(c)3 status from the government to be legitimate. One of the conditions of this status is that they must complete a Form 990 each year detailing their income and expenditures and this must be public information.

You can access this info at: www.guidestar.org

You have to register, but it's free.

[Batty]

yeah thanks to toronto scientists who discovered the stem cells earlier this year.

i have an announcement too..this will most likely only effects the canadian diabetics here..(i'm not sure if they will sell it to the american companies...i donno how that all works)..but canadian scientists found out last week that 2acres of this plant(i cant remember the name..my moms boyfriend was telling us after he heard about it on the local News radio station)..that can produce enough insulin to last 100,000 canadian diabetics a year(natural insulin instead of the insulin they have to make now), which will drop the cost of insulin.