Two and a half years ago I was diagnosed with type 1 - formerly known as juvenile - diabetes, at the age of 35. During Thanksgiving week of 2012 I went into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which put me in the hospital with renal and pulmonary failure. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas no longer produces insulin. Insulin is what the body needs to correctly process sugar. Without it, the body begins to shut down and the organs start to die off. My doctors have no idea how I became diabetic but we are working together to manage it. Unlike type 2 diabetes, my disease cannot be controlled with diet and exercise alone; I rely on 5-6 daily shots of insulin plus twice that many finger sticks daily just to make sure I know what my blood sugar levels are. I ride in the Tour de Cure to help raise money toward finding a cure. I don't want another mother's child to watch in horror as mommy lies in a hospital bed. Thank you for your help and support.