Students putting their best feet forward

Students help raise money for diabetes research

By: Joseph Harvie
   Two township school children are asking residents to help find a cure for juvenile diabetes.
   Ryan Moran, 8, and Lauren Wells, 15, both have Type 1 diabetes, and both are looking for donations to help their respective teams that will be taking part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk at Cook College at Rutgers University in New Brunswick on Oct. 29.
   Ryan, a second-grader at the Monmouth Junction School, was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 13 months old, his mother Cindy Moran said, while sitting in the family’s Monmouth Junction living room last week.
   "He’s been getting tested every few hours since then," Ms. Moran said.
   However, Ryan doesn’t let his diabetes slow him down. He plays baseball in the fall and has made the 8-and-under Thunder township traveling soccer team.
   He is also having a lot of fun at school.
   "We have caterpillars in class," Ryan said. "We study and observe them, and then when they turn into butterflies we’re going to let them go."
   Ryan said he is hopeful that the walks and other fundraisers for JDRF help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
   "I hope that in the next seven to nine years we get a cure," Ryan said. "I really want it by the time I’m 17 so that would be about 10 years."
   Kevin Moran, Ryan’s father, said Ryan uses a pump that is about twice the size of a cell phone and releases the right amount of insulin into his system depending on what his blood readings are. He said that the next step in technology is to have a pump that not only releases insulin, but also tests the blood.
   In addition, Mr. Moran said he would like to see the federal government approve funding for stem cell research, which he said could help find a cure.
   "President (George W.) Bush doesn’t want to give money for stem cell research," Mr. Moran said. "And when your told time and time again that stem cell research can help, it hurts that it doesn’t get funded."
   However, the Morans said they are staying positive and will continue to do their part by helping out anyway they can. Ryan spoke at a JDRF fundraiser at the Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana, in Princeton in the summer.
   "It was amazing," Mr. Moran said. "They just wanted us to go there and help out, but Ryan wanted to speak, and he gave a five minute speech about how he lives with diabetes. He had the attention of every one of the golfers that were there that day."
   This year Team Ryan Moran is looking to raise $10,100, $100 [bwo: ??: ]more than last year’s goal.
   "We beat the goal last year and if we beat it this year then next year we’ll raise it again," Ryan said.
   Team Ryan Moran raised $10,711.55 last year, Ryan said.
   Just across Route 1 in Highgate Manor, Lauren was planning for her team, Wells’ Walkers, to participate in the Cook College campus walk.
   Lauren, a junior at South Brunswick High School, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about five and half years ago. Her mother, Terri Wells, said that at first she hid it from her parents.
   "I just thought I was sick," Lauren said. "And I didn’t tell my parents."
   Ms. Wells said that one morning she found Lauren lying on the bathroom floor and knew something was wrong. They then took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed.
   Lauren said she won’t let her diagnosis stop her from playing basketball or from attending dance classes and competitions at Just Dance on Route 27 in Kendall Park. In fact, she’s added some things to her itinerary in recent years.
   "I’ve gone to both middle schools to talk to students about diabetes," Lauren said.
   She has also applied to be a part of Youth Congress. If accepted, Lauren will be able to speak in front of both houses of Congress about juvenile diabetes and urge them to approve funding to fight the disease.
   She said by just applying for the Youth Congress helps get the word out about diabetes, but she said more people should send letters to elected officials to support funding to help find a cure for the disease.
   "I don’t think getting one letter is going make them change their mind," Lauren said. "But if enough children put pressure on the government, then it won’t stay dormant forever."
   Lauren said that she is interested in government. She said her favorite classes this year are international politics and legal education and global studies.
   "Global studies is different because it focuses on socialism, cultures and religion everywhere else in the world but in the United States," Lauren said.
   An aspiring history teacher, Lauren said that this year she even has class with a fellow diabetes patient.
   "We’ll be in class and our pumps will go off, and we’ll look at each other to see which one it was," Lauren said, talking about their insulin pump.
   Lauren has been taking part in the walk for about five years and is hoping to raise $10,000. She said that the walk also raises awareness about diabetes, which could lead to more support and possibly a cure.
   "I want to do something because it’s not going to get better, Lauren said. "Our ultimate goal is to have a cure, and that’s going to take a lot of time and energy."
   To donate to either walker log onto walk.jdrf.org and search for Lauren Wells or Kevin Moran in New Jersey.