What is the Spoker Ride?
The Spoker Ride is good fun on two wheels.
The Spoker Ride is a fundraiser for JDRF. Participants select a course length – 50 miles, 25 miles or the family friendly 10-mile route. Riders draw playing cards at designated stops during the event and then play their best 5-card poker hand at the end for prizes. Great prizes are awarded to the top three poker hands.
This event started six years ago with only 35 riders, raising about $750. Last year, our numbers grew to 125 participants and we we were able to raise $10,000 toward finding the cure for type 1 diabetes. Our goal is to grow our event, creating lasting memories for our participants and raising even more funds to fight this devastating disease.
About type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone people need to get energy from food. T1D strikes both children and adults at any age and suddenly. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. Though T1D’s causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers play a role. There is currently nothing you can do to prevent it, and there is no cure.
While people with T1D rely on insulin therapy to control their blood sugar, insulin is not a cure nor does it prevent the possibility of the disease’s serious side effects. Even with intensive disease management, a significant portion of their day is still spent with high or low blood-sugar levels, placing people with T1D at risk for devastating complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputation.
Know the warning signs
While T1D can be managed well it can also kill, particularly when the warning sign go unnoticed or unheeded.
Learn to recognize the warning signs for T1D and you could save a life. They include:
- Extreme thirst
- Frequent urination
- Drowsiness or lethargy
- Increased appetite
- Sudden weight loss
- Sudden vision changes
- Sugar in the urine
- Fruity, sweet or wine-like odor on breath
- Heavy or labored breathing
- Stupor or unconsciousness