JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes 2012

This year we are hoping to raise $2500 as the Symonds Sherrifs! View our Walk letter here.

Karly and Kelsy on ABC4 News

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) -Diabetes kills someone in America every three minutes; a sobering figure, especially if you're the parent of a child diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes.

Kelsy and Carly Symonds are twins and share everything, including a potentially deadly disease. When they were diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes their mother Debbie says it wasn't easy.

“It just kind of takes over your life for awhile." The tools that keep Kelsy and Carly Symonds alive include insulin monitors, finger stick kits and insulin. The same medical equipment used for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Debbie says a lot of people don’t understand the difference. "There is a lot of misconception about Type 1 Diabetes and a lot of confusion for a lot of people with Type 2 which is really a completely different disease."

Both diseases create a need to regulate blood sugar. Unlike Type 2, lifestyle changes won't help those who have Type 1.

"Type one diabetics make no insulin, it's an autoimmune disease all of their cells have died, and exercise doesn't work for them." So the twins are left to monitor several times a day, and work to stay healthy. Carly says "When you are low you just start to like trip over anything even if it's a flat surface you start to feel you can shake." But the twins say most of the time people don't know they are ill.

"It doesn't affect you on the outside but it does affect us on the inside when our blood sugar is too high that has a really bad effect on our heart."

The Symonds look forward to a day when there is a cure. They believe that day is near. To find out more about how you can help with research and what ABC 4 is doing to aid in research look for Safari For a Cure information on this website.

Original story here: Twins battle potentially deadly disease together

2011 Family Walk Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

Another year has passed for Karly and Kelsy Symonds. They’ve graduated from high school and are now moving on to college life. They’re 18 years old and have lived with Type I Diabetes for the past 16 years of their life.

Type I Diabetes is an auto-immune disease that is never outgrown. Insulin producing cells in Type I Diabetics have been killed off by their own bodies. They cannot produce insulin at all. They are dependent upon insulin injections to live.

Even though they may look healthy on the outside, there is a war raging on the inside. Either the extra sugar in their blood is causing havoc with their organs that can leave permanent damage, or their low blood sugar is threatening to completely shut down their bodies.

Taking care of this disease is like walking a tight rope each day. A wrong move to either side could cause results that aren’t conducive to living a long, healthy life.

In the past year, the girls have done about 4,400 finger pokes, 300 site changes for their insulin pump, filled about 350 insulin reservoirs, bolused 5000 times and treated hundreds of low blood sugars. They must always be on the alert. They can’t take a break or decide to ignore their disease, even for a short time.

As Karly and Kelsy move on to their next phase of life, we have hope that a cure for this disease is just around the corner. JDRF is working hard to find a cure and we want to help.

Our family team is accepting donations for JDRF in any amount, large or small. All donations will help us get closer to a life free from the burdens of diabetes for Karly and Kelsy and countless other people with this deadly disease.

Please donate whatever you can. We appreciate your support!

The Symonds Safari Hunters

2010 Family Letter

View our family letter this year, written by Karly and Kelsy.

Walk to Cure Diabetes Information

Karly and Kelsy are identical twins that have been living with Type 1 diabetes for over 14 years. Diagnosed at the age of two, they received at least six "finger pokes" to test their blood sugar and at least four insulin shots each day. This routine continued until Karly and Kelsy received their first insulin pumps in the third grade. These devices continually deliver small quantities of insulin to the girls' bodies, and thus provides them with a lot of flexibility when it comes to when they eat and how often they are required to test their blood sugar. While the girls' insulin pumps have allowed them to lead a more normal life, the reality is that they will spend the rest of their lives in a constant balancing act.

As of yet, there is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. We need your help to change that! Our family has decided to participate in the Walk to Cure diabetes this year. We have a goal to raise $2000 to donate to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Please help us reach our goal! All donations are sent directly to JDRF and are tax-deductible.

Thank you! Our family greatly appreciates your support.