KatrinaKures Fundraising Tops $165,000 For CHOC Children’s Hospital
ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif. (PRWEB) March 21, 2019 -- A check for more than $23,000 was recently presented by KatrinaKures to CHOC Children’s Hospital (CHOC) in support of Type 1 juvenile diabetes research. This brings the grand total of overall donations raised by the community fundraising organization to just over $165,000 in 11 years.
This past January, more than 100 family members, friends, work colleagues and advocates for Type 1 Diabetes research—converged in Anaheim Hills to bid on 45 silent auction items and make more than 100 individual donations in support of the cause. The Irvine Half Marathon & 5K held on January 11 also served as a valuable platform for many supporters to raise needed funds
CHOC is one of just a handful of research facilities in the U.S. trying to find a cure for Type 1 juvenile diabetes. Dr. Mark Daniels, director of Endocrinology at CHOC, oversees the fund for KatrinaKures. CHOC set up this account several years ago as a stand-alone project for the hospital.
“The Jewell family is amazing,” said Dr. Daniels. Their continued generosity, as well as that of the KatrinaKures foundation have inspired us to keep moving forward with novel opportunities to make a lasting impact on the lives of people with Type 1 Diabetes.”
This year, CHOC is also partnering with UCI’s Dr. Lakey, who is conducting breakthrough stem cell and islet research that may provide the gateway to a cure for this disease.
“Thanks to the generous spirit of our friends, work colleagues and Type 1 Diabetes advocates, this fundraising effort gets bigger, broader and better each year,” says David Jewell, founder of the KatrinaKures fundraiser. “Whether it’s running in one of the races, pledging financial support or both, year after year, participation rises to an even higher level in so many ways. What really touches and inspires me is that on top of the money raised for such an important cause, everyone who participates does so with a true attitude of caring, which attests to the spirit of giving and beyond.”
Jewell began to raise funds and awareness for CHOC after doctors diagnosed his daughter, Katrina, with Type 1 juvenile diabetes in 2005. Katrina is a medical technologist for Northeast Valley Health Corporation and recently married another Type 1 diabetic, Jake Windell. Jake was diagnosed at 3 years old and was the very first person accepted to the LA Fire Academy as a Type 1. He is now a paramedic, part of the swift water rescue team, facilitates the Explorer Program and is part of the Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2 for the Federal Government.
“Both Katrina and Jake bring a unique perspective for patients since they went through and continue to handle this disease,” Jewell explains
For the first year, Jewell worked with CHOC and set up an online donation site: http://www.choc.org/katrinakures. In addition, Corner Bakery in Anaheim Hills, Craftsman Grill in Anaheim Hills and the Tempo Urban Kitchen in Brea donated food for the post-race gathering to help offset the overall cost so additional funds could be donated to CHOC. Other significant contributions came from Manheim Car Auction, Travelers Insurance, Jim Cain, Hale Glass and Pro Team Construction. An informal group of friends from LA Fitness where Jewell works out, known as “The Gym Ratz” contributed to the community spirit that marked the campaign this year.
“Rather than covering any administrative costs, 100 percent of the money raised by this initiative goes directly towards research and case studies, which will hopefully result in a cure, thanks to a special fund set up by the hospital,” Jewell explains.
CHOC diabetes program in Southern California is recognized for meeting and maintaining American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of care guidelines. It is also one of the largest screening sites for the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Diabetes Prevention Trial-1, which seeks to reveal causes of the disease, identify preventative measures and find a cure.
For more information about KatrinaKures’ efforts at CHOC, please visit http://www.choc.org/katrinakures
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Peter Giles, Giles Communications, http://www.giles.com, 914-644-3500 x 700, [email protected]
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