JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) is a major charitable 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research (T1D). JDRF’s stated mission is “to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D.”

JDRF has directed a total of $1.6 billion to research since 1970, $116 million of it in FY2011. JDRF uses over 80% of its expenditures to support research and research-related education..”

The organization has its Executive Office in New York City, with Chapters and Branches throughout the U.S. and international affiliates in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

JDRF was founded in the Philadelphia area. Led by Lee Ducat, a group of local parents of children with T1D mobilized to raise money for diabetes research and formed the first Chapter of what was then known as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. A second Chapter was founded shortly thereafter in Miami, Florida, followed by Chapters in northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C. The fledgling organization was defined by its commitment to research funding. In addition to the high priority on funding T1D research, the organization’s founders resolved to inform the public about all aspects of T1D, advocate for more research funding from the federal government, and maintain the organization’s system of management by volunteer lay people. Since its inception, JDRF has evolved to become a worldwide leader in the fight against T1D. JDRF now has Chapters and Branches in most U.S. states, and international affiliates in several different countries.

Diabetes mellitus type 1 (Type 1 diabetes, T1DM, IDDM, or, formerly, juvenile diabetes) is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose. The classical symptoms are polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), polyphagia (increased hunger), and weight loss.

Incidence varies from eight to 17 per 100,000 in Northern Europe and the U.S., with a high of about 35 per 100,000 in Scandinavia, to a low of one per 100,000 in Japan and China.

Eventually, type 1 diabetes is fatal unless treated with insulin. Injection is the most common method of administering insulin; other methods are insulin pumps and inhaled insulin. Pancreatic transplants have been used. Pancreatic islet cell transplantation is experimental, though growing.

Most people who develop type 1 are otherwise healthy. Although the cause of type 1 diabetes is still not fully understood, it is believed to be of immunological origin.

Crystal Lynn Bowersox (born August 4, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter and actress, who was the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol. She is the third runner-up to never be in the bottom 3 in the Idol series, and the first female finalist in three years.

Bowersox's debut album, Farmer's Daughter, was released on December 14, 2010 on the Jive Records label.

Bowersox and her twin brother, Carl, were born in Elliston, Ohio. She attended Oak Harbor High School in Oak Harbor, Ohio, and later attended the Toledo School for the Arts in Toledo, Ohio. Bowersox performed her first professional gig at the age of 10. She appeared at local bars in Toledo, most popularly Papa's Tavern, and The Village Idiot in Maumee, Ohio. At the age of 17, she moved to Chicago looking for opportunity. She most commonly played as a busker at several train stations, including the Washington and Lake Redline stops. She frequented open mics, such as the Uncommon Ground Clark and Grace, and Devon locations. She also played extensively in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. In 2006, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs chose Bowersox to represent Chicago folk musicians in the Sister Cities program "Experience Chicago", held in Birmingham, England. In 2007, Bowersox traveled internationally on an independent small cafe tour, including Memphis, Tennessee, Oaxaca, Mexico, and Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey.

Trevor Bayne (born February 19, 1991) is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series race car driver. He drives the No. 21 Motorcraft/QuickLane Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 60 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing part-time in the Nationwide Series.

Bayne began his racing career racing go-karts at the age of five. After eight years, he moved to Allison Legacy Race Series, where he became the youngest top rookie. Two years later, he moved to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division. In 2008, he signed a contract with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to race in the NASCAR Camping World East Series, where he recorded one win, six top-five, and seven top-10 finishes. One year later, he recorded Sunoco Rookie of the Race honors after participating in the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway. Also in 2009, he began racing in the Nationwide Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. After about two years with the team, he moved to Roush Fenway Racing, at the late end of the season, and began racing in the Sprint Cup Series for Wood Brothers Racing. In 2011, Bayne won the Daytona 500, becoming the youngest driver to win the race at an age of 20 years and 1 day.

Mary Tyler Moore (born December 29, 1936) is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–77), in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as Laura Petrie (Dick Van Dyke's wife) on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–66). She also appeared in a number of films, most notably 1980's Ordinary People, in which she played a role that was the polar opposite of the television characters she had portrayed, and for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Moore has also been active in charity work and various political causes, particularly around the issues of animal rights and Diabetes mellitus type 1. Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the beginning of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and also dealt with alcoholism, which was treated in the 1980s. In May 2011, Moore underwent elective brain surgery to remove a benign meningioma.