In two weeks, Bernard Farrell will be riding in the Bike the Miles annual fundraiser to support Dr. Faustman's research to cure Type 1 diabetes. His participation is especially intrinsic because it is one day away from his 35th anniversary of becoming a Type 1 diabetic.

Bernard plans to raise $10,000 for Dr. Faustman's research. Last year he raised $7,500. The entire event raised a whopping $301,000! All of this funding is going toward the human trials to cure Type 1 diabetes. After discovering that the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas are capable of regeneration, Dr. Faustman now needs to test her treatment, already known to be safe in humans, to see if the effects are as positive as they were in the animal model.

It goes without say that this is terribly important for Bernard as much as it is for every man, woman and child touched by Type 1 diabetes. Bike the Miles is an annual event that was started by Susan Root and Jacqueline Fusco in 2004. Both, Susan and Jacqueline, have children who are Type 1 diabetics. Please visit Bernard's site to support his ride and the drive to cure Type 1 diabetes!

Dr. Faustman's lab is currently collecting blood samples from individuals with established Type 1 diabetes. These samples are being used to quantify the number of autoreactive T-cells and develop the adequate dosage for Phase 1 of human trials to cure Type 1 diabetes.

The research has been presented and the NIH confirmed it. By reeducating the confused T-cells and instructing them not to attack healthy islets, an apparent cure of established type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice is possible. Now, Dr. Faustman is collecting human samples to bestow the same cure for diabetes in humans.

If you wish to be a part of this revolutionary event for curing Type 1 diabetes, please contact the Clinical Coordinator or call Dr. Faustman's lab at (617) 726-4084. Each participant is asked to bring a control person along with them - an unrelated person without Type 1 diabetes or another autoimmune disease. Diabetic or not - you can be a part of history in curing Type 1 diabetes!

Suffering succotash - do you believe the nerve of these scientists professing the antithesis of insulin-dependent diabetes!! Scientist have proven that supplementation of Gymnema sylvestre appears to enhance endogenous insulin production by regeneration of the residual beta cells in insulin-dependent diabetes. Wouldn't this study imply that insulin-dependent diabetes is curable??

GS4, a water-soluble extract of the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, was given to 27 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes on insulin therapy. They received 400 mg per day. Their insulin requirements came down together, along with their fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and glycosylated plasma protein levels. Patients in the study receiving insulin therapy only (without Gymnema sylvestre supplementation) showed no significant reduction in serum lipids, HbA1c or glycosylated plasma proteins when followed up after 10-12 months.

There you have it, folks. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacologyin October 1990 says - there are possible ways to regenerate beta cells in insulin-dependent diabetics, previously believed to be nonexistent and gone forever. Never say never, right Dr. Faustman?

The Spring Point Project is a nonprofit organization created to increase the availability of islet tissue for diabetes care by cultivating medical-grade pigs for islet xenotransplantation.

Dr. Bernhard Hering is the scientific director of the Diabetes Institute for Immunology & Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. He believes the shortage of human donor organs greatly limits the applicability of islet transplants. Of course he does. In 2004, President Bush directed the Diabetes Research Work Group, created by Congress, to develop a comprehensive plan for diabetes research. One of the outgrowths has been the establishment of the NIH (National Institute of Health) Clinical Islet Transplant Consortium. Spring Point Project's consultant Dr. Bernhard Hering, M.D., is one of only five researchers worldwide appointed to serve on it. Hold the cornmeal, Wilbur. Who else has a seat in the NIH panel?These medical-grade pig islets require immunosuppression drugs to sustain the life of the islets without another autoimmune attack taking place. A statement from the faq page on The Spring Point Project site states, "Pig islet graft survival was made possible with a novel immunosuppressive protocol." Okay. Minor detail but very important when you weigh your options.

The Spring Point Project says human trials are slated to begin in 2008. Funny-- that is the same time Massachusetts General Hospital's human trials for Dr. Denise Faustman's proposed cure for type 1 diabetes is set to begin. Dr. Faustman's cure does not require any immunosuppression drugs. In my book - any cure that requires a continuum of drugs is not a cure, at all.

One of the many shining stars of dLife, and a father of a type 1 diabetic, Tom Karlya, shares his reflections on 2006 through a satirical piece where he personifies 2006 and pays respect to the accomplishments of the diabetic community.

Reflections include the Team Type 1 fundraising event. The mission of Team Type 1 is to increase the general public's awareness of diabetes as a disease that can be managed effectively - allowing those with this condition to continue active, healthy lives and permitting them to perform well in athletic events. Another monumental accomplishment this year was a DVD created for the Public Health Foundation. The DVD addresses a topic most people consider unspeakable. You have to watch the video teaser online to get the picture. Last but certainly not least, Tom mentions the controversial but promising cure research of Dr. Denise Faustman.

Tom makes a great point when he says, "Same actions will never yield different results. .. Show me something that was not a biomedical finding funded by private industry." Take a minute to indulge in the victorious ending of 2006. Ring in the New Year with an optimistic smile of what's to come in the days ahead.

When Dr. Denise Faustman revealed her ground-breaking discovery 5 years ago, most of the biomedical world turned their noses up. Dr. Faustman said she had cured diabetic mice by getting them to regrow their insulin-producing cells. Today Faustman dismisses the initial pessimism by looking at the bright-side "a lot of groups are working on this now," she says. "If imitation is the best form of flattery, then I'm flattered."

To correct the autoimmune attack, Faustman injected mice with a cocktail that made their bodies churn out a signaling chemical called TNF-alpha. This compound destroyed the defective T-cells that mistakenly targeted islets. When a surgeon implanted islets on the kidneys of each mouse, the transplants could take root, make insulin and restore normal blood sugar control. To eliminate the problem of the bad T-cells returning, Faustman borrowed an idea from the transplant specialists, who have found that liver or spleen cells can "reeducate" a recipient's immune system to treat the new cells as welcomed guests.

Patience is a virtue and Dr. Faustman deserves the crown. Until recently, it was taken for granted that once the beta cells are lost, they can never grow back. This past March, three separate scientific studies confirmed that they had repeated Faustman's protocols and reproduced her most important result: it is possible to stop the mistaken T-cell attack and when you do, the animals recover normal function. "The results are fantastic, coming from these groups, which were each paid $1 million to spend three years showing that I was wrong," she remarks. "I mean, they were all funded by the JDRF." Dr. Faustman, when you're right - you're right. And for the salvation of every person living with an autoimmune disease: you're right!

Upon losing his wife to type I diabetic complications, Mr. Iacocca and his family began a journey to support innovative diabetes research nationwide. Recognizing that medical research is costly, Mr. Iacocca devoted his efforts to providing the funding necessary to keep the most promising diabetes-research projects moving forward. Twenty-two years and over $23 million later, The Iacocca Foundation has supported amazing scientists and helped advance exciting research.

Without evoking the same deer in headlights reaction I flaunted, I'll provide a brief description of a few projects (due, in part, to the fact I am too simple to understand them all in detail). I welcome you to continue reading the full details of all the research projects from the Iacocca Foundation website. Without further adieu, here are a few details on some projects underway:

The Nathan/Faustman Project is preparing for a Human Clinical Trial to stop the autoimmune attack in type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Jerry Nadler is researching the effects of Lisofylline (LSF), a novel small molecule immunomodulator that has been shown to be effective in halting autoimmune damage to pancreatic insulin producing beta cells.

Dr. Chan's project proposes the use of gene therapy to produce new islet cells.

Without question, the Iacocca Foundation has made it possible for these innovative, promising, and undeniably remarkable projects to see their way to fully-funded fruition. Mr. Iacocca, if you have not heard it before, I will say it now: Thank You. On behalf of the diabetic community, I would like to express our appreciation for your tremendous efforts and the priceless gift of hope.