Lexington Middle Student to Raise Awareness About Diabetes in DC

A Lexington Middle School student is one of three South Carolina children headed to Washington, D.C. this summer to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes. 

Hannah McCrary, 12, was selected by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as a delegate to their Children's Congress. Two other South Carolina students - Justin Schur, 12, of Simpsonville and Ethan Morse, 16, of Fort Mill - were also selected. 

McCrary and the other South Carolina delegates will join 150 other children from across the country in reminding members of Congress of the need to continue supporting research that aims to reduce the burden they all share - living with type 1 diabetes - until a cure becomes available.

McCrary, a soccer player for the Lexington County Girls Soccer Association, has been living with type 1 diabetes since she was 7 years old. 

"It is a unique challenge to manage type 1 diabetes while being an athlete," said Beth McCrary, Hannah's mom, "and Hannah handles it like a true champion."

The children delegates — ranging from age 4 to 17 and representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia — will visit the nation’s capitol from July 8 to 10. Joining them will be six international delegates traveling from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The international delegates will partner with U.S. delegates to convey a clear message to the U.S. government that T1D is a global problem that requires a global effort.

The event, held every other summer, will once again be led by JDRF International Chairman Mary Tyler Moore, and will include congressional visits by the delegates and a Senate hearing, during which Moore and select delegates and advocates will testify on the need for continued funding for type 1 diabetes research, under the theme of “Promise to Remember Me.” This theme serves as a powerful call tolawmakers to remember the struggle of living with the disease, and the importance of supporting and funding type 1 diabetes research.

The children are aiming for a multi-year extension of the Specila Diabetes Program. For more information about the Special Diabetes Program, visit advocacy.jdrf.org/our-work/special-diabetes-program