When Jazmyn Zynda trekked up the hills of Purgatory Creek Natural Area in San Marcos on Nov. 7, it was not without cause. She was hiking two-and-a-half-miles to raise funds for diabetes research.
That Sunday, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) held its annual One Walk, a fundraising event for Type 1 diabetes. Two members of the Texas State College Diabetes Network (CDN) walked in the event for the Southern Texas chapter of the JDRF, which raised over $900,000 through One Walk this year.
In November 2020, the JDRF held its first virtual One Walk in order to promote social distancing by allowing participants to dictate their own walking routes and track their own distances via the app Strava. In addition to One Walk, the JDRF hosts annual galas, bike rides and golf fundraisers.
Deandra Dillard, Associate Executive Director of the Southern Texas chapter of the JDRF, said that, despite the decrease in overall proceeds and in-person events, the JDRF is continuing to adapt to current limitations. She also said the Southern Texas chapter of the JDRF was specifically created as a method of furthering outreach amidst the pandemic.
In 2020, the JDRF raised $110 million through fundraising events. According to the JDRF Annual Financial Report, 80% of the proceeds from these events went towards supporting diabetes research, advocacy and management.
“JDRF’s walk has always been more than just a walk day,” said Dillard. “I mean it’s about giving our community an opportunity to tell their stories, to activate their networks, to advocate for the mission and also to raise money to find the cure for Type 1 diabetes.”
Dillard added that many college diabetics “do what they can” to support One Walk by advertising the event and encouraging donations when they lack the time to get out and walk.
Jazmyn Zynda, Texas State CDN Vice President and One Walk participant, believes the JDRF’s contributions to diabetes management are particularly vital for diabetics in college who struggle to afford proper health care.
“You can see the trend of insulin prices increasing, but the formula doesn’t change at all. There is no difference,” Zynda said. “It used to be like $20 and now it’s $500 for most people… You have to have a GoFundMe page every time you want one vial of insulin.”
The JDRF recently partnered with Beyond Type 1 to provide long-term access to insulin for diabetics who are regularly unable to afford it.
Zynda has participated in One Walk since she was 4. She said that she was proud to have raised $1,850 on her own this year but is eager to once again learn about different diabetes technology, eat food with carb labels and meet new diabetic friends at future, in-person JDRF fundraisers.
Sarah Douglas, Texas State CDN President, explained that the CDN could not walk as a group without submitting extensive paperwork to Texas State due to the organization’s school affiliation.
Zynda and one other member walked individually in the event this year, while other members shared information about the event online and had relatives who walked on behalf of them.
“The JDRF fundraiser illuminates just how much love and support there is for the diabetic community,” Douglas said. “I would love for the CDN to volunteer at the event or walk as a group in the near future.”
Douglas founded the Texas State CDN at the beginning of 2019, after coming to Texas State as an out-of-state student.
“I had genuine fears of how I was supposed to obtain everything I needed to survive while being so far from home,” Douglas said. “My goal was to foster a network of support and understanding.”
Jazmyn Zynda’s storage closet overflows with her medical supplies. As a Type 1 diabetic, her health requires constant management and costly equipment. 
Jazmyn Zynda explains how her constant glucose monitor, the Dexcom G6, operates. This device is attached to her body at all times, so it can send glucose readings to her phone via Bluetooth. 
Jazmyn Zynda shows off her insulin pump. This device is also attached to her body at all times in order to give her insulin when her blood glucose levels are unstable or when she is about to eat food that contains carbs. 
Jazmyn Zynda detaches her insulin pump from its clip-on holder to explain how she changes out its cartridges. The pump’s tubing remained attached to her body to continue giving her insulin. 
Jazmyn Zynda shows off her medical identification tattoo. She decided to get this tattoo to serve as an alternative to standard medical alert identification in case of emergencies where she is unresponsive due to diabetes complications. 
Sarah Douglas reads the nutrition label on her juice box when showing off her daily medical supplies. The juice box contained 15 grams of carbohydrates, which will help raise her glucose when it drops to dangerous levels. 
Sarah Douglas begins to unpackage her insulin’s pumps infusion set. She expressed her frustration that most pumps are not wireless due to slow technological developments of diabetes equipment. 
Sarah Douglas shows how her insulin pump attaches to her stomach. She explained that pumps can also be inserted into one’s upper thighs, arms and hips. 
Sarah Douglas reads the instruction label on her emergency Glucagon injection. Glucagon is used on diabetics when they are unresponsive due to dangerously low blood glucose levels. 
Sarah Douglas shows the different parts of the Glucagon kit and emphasizes that it is important for non-diabetics to know how to operate it. The syringe should be injected into the vial and then refilled with the vial’s mixture before it is injected into the diabetic. 
Sarah Douglas’s insulin, NovoLog, is shown. Insulin is one of the most expensive diabetes medications she has to purchase, costing up to $300 a vial with insurance.
The Texas State CDN has grown from four members to over 30 members since its first meeting and recently partnered with the Office of Disability Services to educate the Texas State community.
“We know diabetes does not stop us from excelling at life, so I want that to be ingrained in the minds of other students as well,” Douglas said.
The Texas State CDN plans to host a booth on campus next semester that will spread awareness for Type 1 diabetes and advertise events such as the One Walk to increase participation among Texas State students.
For information about upcoming local JDRF fundraising events, visit the Southern Texas chapter’s website. To connect with the Texas State CDN, visit its Instagram.
