Walter’s To make a difference you

can:
Story
 Join a Team
 Register
Walter Steinkraus is a 62 year old patent  Donate
lawyer and a native born Minnesotan. He grows
a wonderful garden, kayaks during his free time, TODAY!!
visits his children when he can, and he loves to
ride his bicycle. Now Walter has no known
For information go to
relative or close friends suffering from Type 1 or www.diabetes.org
Type 2 diabetes, but because of his passion for
bicycling and helping others he single handedly www.tour.diabetes.org
formed a Tour de Cure team in 2009. He created
a family/friend team named the McBikers, and it
Sources
included five of his relatives. They managed to
raise over $1500.00 for the event, and each of “Deaths from Diabetes.” Wrong Diagnosis. Center for
Disease Control, 2001. 20 Oct 2010
Take the Ride
them bicycled approximately 30 miles. Walter
Of Your Life!!
<www.wrongdiagnosis.com>.

commented on the event saying, “I have lived “Diabetes Statistics.” 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet.
American Diabetes Association 2007. 20 Oct 2010
around the Twin Cities practically my whole life, <www.diabetes.org>. Minneapolis, MN
and I never have seen the city in such a great History of the American Diabetes Association. American
Diabetes Association. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
light then I did that day. That route takes you <http://www.diabetes.org/about-us/history.html>.
through the magic of Minneapolis, and it was
Learn How Your Donation Dollar Will Be Spent. American
worth all the work.” He now plans to participate Diabetes Association. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.diabetes.org/donate/learn-how-your-
in the event every year, and has already started donation.html>.

fundraising for 2011. Walter added his final Tour De Cure Is... American Diabetes Association. Web. 10
Nov.2010.<http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?
advice saying, “This event is so much more than pagename=TC_about>.
just bicycling; it is moving and inspirational. It What Is Diabetes? What Causes Diabetes? Medical News
Today. Web. 10 Nov. 2010.
made me want to be a better person and it will <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/>.
open your eyes too.”
 The Cold Hard Truth American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure 2011
23.6 million Children and adults The American Diabetes Association
in the United States are currently living has been helping people with diabetes since
with diabetes (Diabetes Statistics). 1940, where the association was assembled The Tour de cure is a series of
with only physicians and scientists (ADA cycling events that happens nationally
What is Diabetes… History). Now they are one of the largest in 43 states (Tour de Cure is). The
non-profit organizations in the world, and Tour de Cure is not a bicycling race it is
Diabetes is a metabolism disorder a ride that takes place on scenic routes
working everyday to try and cure diabetes
which causes an insulin deficiency in the body throughout the nation but, to be more
(Learn How). Many people wonder about
(What is Diabetes). There two main types of specific though I would like to talk to
charity organizations, and where all the
diabetes; Type 1 and 2 they are both chronic you about taking part in the Tour de
proceeds go. Do they go to research,
diseases meaning that they are persistent and Cure Minneapolis.
patients, medical facilities, or back into the
perpetual (What is Diabetes). Both types are
organization? An impressive 75% of every
treatable, but if both main types of diabetes Tour de Cure Minneapolis
dollar spent supports research, advocacy,
are treatable, then why worry about it, right?
and services for people affected by
Wrong. There are many complications to
diabetes, but to see it more specifically I The Tour de Cure starts in
uncontrolled diabetes, and the main one being
have included a graph to see visually how Minnehaha Falls in Minnesota which is
death.
the money was spent in 2008 (Learn How). beautiful waterfall scenery, and then
Complications takes you from lakes to rivers,
skyscrapers to stadiums, and suburban
There were 71,372 deaths in the bike trails to busy commuter bike lanes.
United States in 2001 (Deaths from Diabetes). The Tour has exciting routes for all
Also uncontrolled diabetes could include other types of cyclists starting at a 6 mile
life threatening complications such as heart family ride, a 25 mile ride for
disease, high blood pressure, and nervous beginners, a 45 mile ride for advanced,
system diseases (Diabetes Statistics). Not and then a 62 mile ride for pros. It is
only is this disease life threatening, but it is so easy to take place in an exciting
very costly for victims of the disease. Lear Where Your Donation Dollar Will Be Spent. American Diabetes
Association. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.diabetes.org/donate/learn-how-
event like this one. The easiest way to
According to the American Diabetes your-donation.html>. take part is to go to tour.diabetes.org
Association, $174 billion is what is spent on and from there you can register as a
diabetes each year with medical costs, and As you can see by the graph that rider, donate, or join a team. Also on
indirect costs (Diabetes Statistics). Some most of the donations go to providing that website you can look and see how
families are just not financially able to pay for information to families who are in need of well individuals/teams are doing at
all the costs it takes to properly control answers and guidance. All of their money fundraising, check out your local routes,
diabetes. is allocated wisely, and their main mission is and learn some training tips for the ride.
to help those suffering with this disease.
So how can we help? We can team Now after reading this I hope you are There are so many different
up with the American Diabetes Association thinking how can I help, contribute, or at ways you can help this organization,
where they can conduct research, give out least donate? Fortunately, I know the but the Tour de Cure is one of the best!
information, and help families deal with this answer to those questions, which would be You can spend a day meeting new
disease. the annual event called the Tour de Cure. people, bicycling outdoors in a scenic
area, and supporting a great cause!!