Party with a Purpose

So my baby was the reason our family got to have a GREAT time at Main Event (Cobb) recently.  She has been a part of a medical study since birth - The Teddy Study.  This is a medical study that will follow her until she's 15 years old.  Why?  She has the gene for Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile diabetes).  She was tested at birth and qualified for the study.  We agreed to participate because the purpose of the study is to, ultimately, find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.  Who wouldn't want to participate in a study that is so much bigger than themselves.  The Teddy Study is actually a huge undertaking - encompassing 4 countries and several consortiums of researchers and doctors.

I have learned soooo much about Type 1 diabetes from our participation.  Nicole is the rock star though - she goes every 3 months to get her blood drawn for the study.    There are other parts to the study (checking water sources, checking viruses, looking at diet records, tracking activity, looking at stressors, etc....) that we participate with - ultimately looking for the commonalities of children who do and do not develop with autoimmune illness.  Not everyone with the gene will develop it.  And not everyone who develops it actually has the gene.  Crazy.

However, once a year - the Teddy staff throw a big party for the families who are monitored in the Atlanta lab.  This year.... 4 hours of free play at Main Event.  Oh yes - we were there!!!!!!!

What you don't see at the 3 rounds of lazer tag we fit in, the free lunch, and the HOURS of games we all played.   It was so fun - and we are so thankful for our little trooper in her participation.