I'm going to share some personal information about your friend, your family member, and that guy with the goofy glasses, Ben. With his permission, here goes.

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Every morning, when Ben wakes up, he pricks his finger with a tiny needle and reads his blood sugar level. If it's too low, he has to chug something liquid and sugary, like juice or soda (sounds great at first, but gets old fast).

If his blood sugar is too high, he takes out his insulin pump and administers a dose of medicine that helps regulate his glucose levels (thank god for the insulin pump). Sometimes, he has to inject himself with a needle.

He does this multiple times a day. He will have to continue to do this every day for the rest of his life. As do all Type 1 diabetics. Type 2 diabetics have a small amount of luck in that if they watch their diet and exercise habits, they can reverse their disease. No such luck for Type 1s. Because there's no cure for Type 1. 

You probably never noticed, but Ben's fingers are hardened and spotted with little pink dots from the thousands of times he's pricked his fingers with a needle. His stomach is thick with scar tissue from when, as a child and in a time before the gift of insulin pump technology, he would inject a needle into his stomach to deliver insulin multiple times a day. His legs are often red, inflamed, and bruised from the insulin pump port, which is attached to his leg nearly 24/7 via a secure needle. Can you imagine having a needle stuck in your leg 24/7 for the rest of your life? 

When people talk about "diabetes," they're usually talking about Type 2, which is an acquired condition caused by unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits. Most people don't even realize that Type 1, an incurable autoimmune disease, can never go away. There is no healthy lifestyle habit, medicine, or technology that can rid Ben of his diabetes. 

Yet.

It's time for a cure. Most people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed when they're just children. Imagine being a child, as Ben was, being ushered to the hospital and told you were at risk for fainting, coma, blindness, neuropathy, cardiovascular conditions. Told you had to be careful from now on.

It's time for a cure because children should not have to be careful.

It's time for a cure because in 2015, adults should not be afraid of acquired blindness, neuropathy, or coma. 

It's time for a cure because chronic means forever, but it shouldn't.

They say throwing money at a problem is not always the best solution. But wow, biomedical research is expensive. So trust me, it helps. Every bit helps. I'm asking you to help BEN, just a little bit. Donate for the JDRF Time for a Cure gala.

Then let us know, so we can personally thank you for standing in solidarity with us against this stupid, horrible, ugly disease. Because-- and I think you'll agree-- Ben is none of those things.