Congratulations to the generous members of the SLAC community who helped raise over $2,500 for the fight to cure diabetes.

The annual Walk to Cure Diabetes took place at Mountain View’s Shoreline Park on Sunday, October 27. The Walk benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Before and during the three-mile-long walk, participants were provided with drinks, snacks and energetic music.

Pauline Wethington (HR), a key coordinator of this event, welcomed the opportunity to have SLAC partner with Stanford University for this event. "Without the help and support of SLAC employees, directors, and management, who participated as team leaders, walkers and/or donated toward this great cause, we could not have reached beyond Stanford University’s goal of over $20,000."

Volunteers celebrate a beautiful morning of walking to cure diabetes. (Photo courtesy of Pauline Wethington)

For one walker, the event had special meaning. Carolyn Burton (ESD), whose mother died of complications of diabetes and whose nephew was diagnosed with the disease shortly after, first heard about the event via an e-mail Wethington sent out. "I wanted to be part of the walk," Burton said. "I wanted to raise money, I thought of my mother and my nephew. I started talking with other members of my family and realized that I had more family members with diabetes."

The National Diabetes Statistics show that one million people aged 20 and older are diagnosed with diabetes. A full 13 percent of all African Americans and 10.2 percent of Hispanic/Latino Americans have this disease. Statistics also show that American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.6 times more likely to have diabetes than Anglo Americans and for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, ages 45 to 64, diabetes ranks as the fifth highest cause of death.