MHS Students Raising Awareness, Money for Juvenile Diabetes

By Stacey Cunnington

Sept. 30 was a rainy day, but that couldn’t stop the Merrimack High School sports teams from coming out to support their friends and teammates with Type 1 diabetes at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure in Manchester.

On Oct. 1, the field hockey and volleyball teams hosted “Play for a Cure” games at which awareness was raised and donations were collected.

Senior Abby Lore, who plays on the field hockey team, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2001. She is one of nine students at MHS with this autoimmune disease.

For the last 11 years, she has organized her team, named Diabetes Team A-Z, for the walk in Manchester to raise money.

“It really meant a lot to me for everyone to come out and support a great cause,” Lore said. “It’s nice that for one day it was about all the people who so quietly deal with this disease every day.”

Freshman Jo Coffey, who plays on the volleyball team, was only diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on Sept. 11. But her team has become family in its efforts to support her.

The freshman, junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams all came to walk with her on Sept. 30, wearing bandannas that said “Team Jo.”

“I’m so happy that everyone came out to support me and the others,” Coffey said.

The volleyball teams, the girls and boys JV and varsity soccer teams, field hockey players, family members and friends all came out to support Lore, Coffey and me in the Walk to Cure Diabetes.

“The volleyball program is like a second family to Jo, and we all wanted to come out to support her and the other Merrimack students,” said Tammy Lambrou, one of the volleyball coaches.

The play for a cure games on Oct. 1 were also a huge success. The field hockey game against Pinkerton Academy was tied, and both volleyball teams won against Goffstown.

At the end of the night, there were about 30 JDRF paper sneakers hung up on the door to the gym with the names of donors on them. The fans’ support was very helpful, and the donations for the night totaled just over $170.

“I’m so proud of Stacey, Abby and Jo,” freshman Stephanie Cunnington said. “Having a sister with Type 1 has shown me how hard managing this disease can be, and it’s nice to know we are getting closer to a cure.”

Stacey Cunnington is a senior at Merrimack High School. Stacey walked in Satday's JDRF Walk in Boston and has raised more the $10,000 for diabetes research.