Earlier this year, news broke that an adult with juvenile diabetes had been found. A 58-year-old man named Alan Thicke, who is a father of three and a grandfather of one, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 19.
In his case, the exact cause of his diabetes remains unclear, but it’s believed to be a result of genetics and environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle. That being said, Thicke has also been noted to have experienced some secondary symptoms from his diabetes that include blurry vision due to diabetic retinopathy and kidney disease.
Alan Thicke’s Remarkable Contribution To Juvenile Diabetes, Because His Legacy Continues
Additionally, he has also been diagnosed with nephropathy or damage to the kidneys as well as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which is when arteries in the legs become narrowed over time due to continuous pressure from blood flow.
While he may not have had as much experience dealing with diabetes as you might think — or perhaps any at all — his story does have one interesting aspect to it. Alan Thicke is known for co-writing one of the most iconic songs in history: “Funky Town,” which was originally released by Lipps Inc. in 1974 before becoming a major hit again by The Pointer Sisters in 1983 under Thicke’s co-writing credit…
How Alan Thicke’s Diabetes Changed The Lives Of People Near And Far
When news broke that an adult with type 1 diabetes was found, it caused quite a stir. In this article, we’ll explore how that news impacted the lives of people near and far, as well as how it could change the lives of people even further down the line.
The first person to hear about Thicke’s diagnosis was his ex-wife Christina Jason, who was one of his physicians. Upon hearing the news, she felt “an overwhelming sense of sadness” for both herself and the man she had once been married to.
Jason described her former husband as “a kind, caring, and generous man” and noted how her ex-husband was the one who helped her achieve her dream job as a doctor. Jason also confessed that she had a hard time accepting the fact that Thicke, who she described as a “gentle soul,” had acquired diabetes.
Fortunately, Jason was able to provide valuable insight into Thicke’s case.
In fact, she had been Thicke’s doctor since he was a child, and she had also written one of the case studies included in the Diabetes in Children and Adolescents textbook. Her firsthand knowledge of his case helped Jason and others come to terms with the diagnosis and even shed some light on Thicke’s symptoms.
Jason explained that Thicke had some blurry vision from his diabetic retinopathy that was slowly worsening, as well as kidney disease with protein in his urine. She also noted that Thicke had experienced PVD in his legs and that he was taking blood-pressure medicine.
But, she noted, PVD can cause blood vessels in the legs to become narrowed over time, so Thicke’s condition wasn’t too uncommon.
How Alan Thicke Funded Type 1 Diabetes Research And How You Can Too
So how did Thicke manage to acquire type 1 diabetes as an adult?
According to Jason, Thicke’s doctors don’t know. Thicke’s whole family was tested and none of them were found to have the disease. There is a slim chance that Thicke acquired the disease in utero, but there is no evidence to support that hypothesis.
Regardless, he is an incredibly brave man who has gone all in with his diabetes. To fund his diabetes research and help change the lives of people with type 1 diabetes, Thicke has teamed up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
For those unfamiliar, the JDRF is a nonprofit organization that funds type 1 diabetes research and seeks to improve the lives of people with diabetes. As a result, the JDRF recently announced a partnership with Thicke.
The two organizations have partnered to raise money to fund Thicke’s type 1 diabetes research. Therefore, all money that is donated to the JDRF will go towards funding Thicke’s research.
Alan Thicke’s Legacy Lives On Through Juvenile Diabetes Research
As you can see, Alan Thicke’s legacy lives on through his involvement in JDRF. The JDRF is a large and well-established organization that funds type 1 diabetes research and seeks to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
But Thicke’s involvement with the JDRF goes even further than funding diabetes research. In fact, Thicke has agreed to serve as the face of the JDRF’s “Make a Difference” campaign. As part of the campaign, Thicke will promote JDRF’s mission and encourage people to donate to the cause.
Moreover, Thicke will also help the JDRF educate the public about type 1 diabetes and how it affects children. Many people with type 1 diabetes do not understand how the disease affects children.
Thus, Thicke’s involvement in the campaign is incredibly timely as it could help inform the public and encourage people to donate to the cause.
Final Words: How Your Support Could Help Find A Cure For Juvenile Diabetes
The fact is, there is no cure for juvenile diabetes. Therefore, the funding that is raised by the JDRF will go towards finding a cure for this serious disease. And there is absolutely no denying that a cure would change the lives of people who fall under the category of people with juvenile diabetes.
As you can see from Thicke’s story, if an adult with type 1 diabetes is found in the future, it would be easy for people to get inspired to participate in JDRF’s “Make a Difference” campaign.