opinion

Special Diabetes Program funding must be renewed by U.S. Senate

More than 22 years ago, my son, Rock Black, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease that requires him to constantly monitor his blood sugar level, and at present, has no cure.

Managing the disease requires relentless vigilance, but what has made the difference for our family over the last two decades is that we have directly benefited from new technologies developed to treat Type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes research helped son

When Rock was first diagnosed, he would struggle to balance his meals with insulin shots, and often have to eat even when he was not hungry due to his blood sugar dropping. Today, he uses an insulin pump that gives him small, steady doses of insulin throughout the day and wears another device called a continuous glucose monitor that provides real-time, 24/7 data so he can make sure his blood sugar is at the right level. These technologies allow him to manage his Type 1 diabetes, and today he has an active lifestyle that includes flipping houses and playing volleyball as much as he can.

Unfortunately, the future of these kinds of advancements that allow people with Type 1 diabetes to live better, fuller lives is in jeopardy. The government’s primary diabetes research program, the Special Diabetes Program, expired on Oct. 1.

The Special Diabetes Program is run by the National Institutes of Health and has helped deliver new technologies and other therapies, like the first artificial pancreas, that are improving the everyday lives of people with Type 1 diabetes. But in order for this critical research to continue, the Special Diabetes Program must be renewed for multiple years at the current funding level of $150 million.

Institute at University of Tennessee

Research institutes across the country and in our state, including at the University of Tennessee here in Knoxville, use funds from the Special Diabetes Program to try to stretch the bounds of science and find a cure for the disease. The program is an investment rather than an expense as the new technologies are already saving billions of dollars in health care costs. Diabetes and its related complications costs the state of Tennessee alone $6.6 billion.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would renew the Special Diabetes Program for two years.

Now, it is up to the Senate to act, and there is literally no time to wait for this life-saving research to continue. The Senate has an extremely busy schedule this fall, but we cannot let them forget about the Type 1 diabetes community – we cannot afford to wait any longer for its renewal.

Time for Senate to step up

Sens. Alexander and Corker have been strong supporters of scientific research, and together with their colleagues in the Senate must renew the Special Diabetes Program so that we continue to fund the technology and treatments that have made such a difference to my son and our family.

Diabetes affects every single one of Senators Alexander and Corker’s constituents, either directly or indirectly. My personal plea to them is this: Please remember families like mine with Type 1 diabetes and renew the Special Diabetes Program. We must keep the momentum going to make a positive impact on the 1.25 million people living with Type 1 diabetes, and progress toward a cure.

Flash Black is a resident of Knoxville and a volunteer with JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research.