Wailing and screaming, Chris Dunn’s son, Nolan Dunn, struggles against the insulin syringe and needle approaching his soft skin. He kicks and fights against her firm grip and she wishes more than anything she didn’t have to do this; this is her least favorite part of the day.

Her son, freshly two years old, has just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, bringing along the new responsibility of measuring his blood sugar levels and maintaining a steady amount of insulin in his miniature body.

This is what Dunn, a family consumer science teacher, and 283,000 other Americans had to do every day to protect their children from a potentially fatal mishap.

“Back then, things changed a lot when Nolan was first diagnosed. We had to poke his little fingers to check his blood sugar and had to give him five shots of insulin a day. So you can imagine with a little kid how fun that was,” C. Dunn said.

Type 1 diabetes is a genetic chronic condition that happens when the pancreas produces insufficient or no insulin, severely endangering the diabetic’s blood sugar levels, according to the CDC.

Complications arise with childhood diabetes, as kids are generally more shifty towards the idea of testing, prodding, monitoring, and pricking.

Now, thanks to new technology like patches, insulin pens, and apps one can download off app stores, and especially, active advocates like C. Dunn, life with this chronic disease has become somewhat more manageable for people of all ages.

C. Dunn has taken part in various projects regarding diabetes technology advancement. She has interacted with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes but is especially passionate about Type 1 diabetes, the kind two of her kids have.

Before coming to MN this year, C. Dunn worked for the JDRF, or the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, consulting with members of Congress in the district, as well as out of state, like in Washington, DC.

When there, she and other volunteers and workers attended conferences devoted to furthering diabetes awareness and studies.

Recently, the JDRF held its annual fundraising walk to support diabetes research called the JDRF One Walk, which C. Dunn participated in. It is the largest fundraising event for type 1 diabetes research in the world, with walks scheduled in cities throughout the globe. Dunn and her family walked in the local one at Mahoney State Park, attended by 4,000 people this year.

“Participating in the Walk is incredibly empowering. We participated in our first Walk 11 months after Nolan was diagnosed. It not only benefited our son and all people living with T1D, it benefited me too. It was the single best thing I could have done for my own mental health after having a traumatic diagnosis for my toddler,” C. Dunn said.

The Dunn family’s JDRF One Walk team, Dunn with Type 1, raised $5,500 towards Type 1 diabetes research during the JDRF’s latest walk on October 1. They were the number four family team in the state of Nebraska for funds raised for this walk.

The family has raised almost $150,000 since they started partaking in the Walk in 2007, an achievement the Dunn family is very proud of.

One of C. Dunn’s principal projects was the advocacy of the Special Diabetes Program, a bipartisan piece of legislation that has been renewed annually since 1997. It sends millions of dollars dedicated to Type 1 diabetes research to NIH, the National Institute of Health.

Although this is great for any type of diabetic, a dominant problem has been emerging lately.

Insulin, the hormone that regulates the human’s blood sugar, is becoming increasingly expensive each year, bringing along serious complications for low-income families.

Because of this dilemma, C. Dunn and other supporters have been pushing for the passing of the Insulin Act.

“Right now, in my house, the value of the insulin in my refrigerator is $12,000. So now we have a problem because many people can’t afford it. With JDRF, we just go and share our stories and educate them about the importance of making that insulin affordable,” C. Dunn said.

Insulin is vital to everyone’s daily lives as bodies can’t function without the insulin your pancreas is supposed to produce.

“It’s literally people’s life support. You can’t live without it… it’s that necessary,” C. Dunn said

With the help of institutions like JDRF, Type 1 diabetics are looking at a horizon of new opportunities, according to Luci Foster, the JDRF Development Manager for the Nebraska-Iowa chapter. Some of these new technologies include more affordable insulin, CRISPR gene editing technology, and a possible cure for the disease.

“With more education and legislation, my kids are going to take their helpful technology off. The importance of education about this disease and legislation to help them is huge,” C. Dunn said.

Guidance for awareness has become gradually more crucial as the number of diabetics in America increases.

“Diabetes, it’s out there. It’s not uncommon. People can pass out or have an emergency, leaving people not knowing what to do. So it’s always best to have in the back of your mind, ‘Do they have diabetes or low blood sugar? Can I do something to help?” sophomore Patsy Dunn, C. Dunn’s daughter, also diagnosed with type one diabetes, said.

With the advancement of organizations like JDRF, the efforts of activists like C. Dunn, and the support of caring individuals like you, diabetes recognition and comprehension will grow, holding a positive and safe future for everyone, whether directly impacted by diabetes or not.

“As the mom of two kids living with Type 1 diabetes, it is empowering to advocate and fundraise for this mission. I know that I am doing something about changing my children’s future instead of sitting around and letting this disease just happen to our family,” C. Dunn said.