The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly 21 million Americans currently have Type 2 Diabetes. Those numbers may be daunting for some, but for Ian Mills, a fourth grade student at Hearst Elementary School, they’re a motivator to action.
Ian and his parents Susan and Jeffrey Mills are doing their part to help reduce diabetes by raising money for diabetes research in the American Diabetes Association’s annual Tour de Cure fundraising event. Jeffery Mills is the leader of team Brown and Caldwell, and the 40-person team raised $10,270 during the ride in Napa, which took place last weekend. Of that total, Ian raised $935 on his own.
“I like bike riding and I have some family members that had or have diabetes, so I guess that’s why I ride,” Ian said, adding that it feels “pretty good” to help out.
The Tour de Cure is a national fundraiser where participants form teams and ride their bicycles on either a 10-, 25-, 50- or 100-mile course. Participants raise money by having people sponsor their ride. The American Diabetes Association holds Tour de Cure rides in more than 80 cities nationwide, and thousands of riders have taken part in the event since it started in 1991.
This was the first year Ian Mills rode in the event and raised money, though he has watched his father do it for years and even rode in the event without raising money for it last year.
“I started doing it with my dad’s team, but the first year I was kind of scared,” Ian said, which was why he first felt it out last year by just riding. Now more comfortable with the ride, Ian decided to take on the extra challenge of also raising money, with his parent’s encouragement.
“We thought it was important to teach him about giving back,” Susan said.
Ian surely first learned that lesson by the example of both his parents. Jeffery has been involved with the Tour de Cure for seven years, starting when he worked for a company that makes blood glucose monitors for people with diabetes. Given the company’s connection with the cause, they were very active in the Tour de Cure and Jeffery took part in the event with that group for four years–three as an employee and one after he left. Jeffery then got the idea to lead a team with co-workers at his new employer, Brown and Caldwell, an environmental engineer agency. When he asked some of his co-workers, who are also bike-riding enthusiasts, if they’d be interested, the reply was a resounding “yes.” That was three years ago, and the team has participated every year since then, with Brown and Caldwell helping out by sponsoring the team and providing jerseys.
For the Mills, the Tour de Cure is a family event with Jeffery and Ian riding together on a tandem bicycle and Susan helping the two raise money, as well as volunteering on the day of the event.
“It’s such a feel-good day,” Susan said. “It’s a coming together of people to give back. Sometimes I think we get more out of it then the people we are doing it for.”
The Mills family has been personally affected by diabetes. Both Jeffery and Susan’s grandmothers had diabetes and several of Jeffery’s aunts and uncles developed the disease as they got older. This year, Ian felt the affect even more because his godmother was just diagnosed with the disease.
“Since my grandmother had diabetes, we’ve always donated and given to the cause, but to be involved at this level is so amazing,” Susan said.
Because so many people riding in the Tour de Cure are directly affected by diabetes, the American Diabetes Association organizes a Wall of Honor where participants can place the names of people in their lives that have diabetes as a way to acknowledge and remember them. Last year, Susan put up her grandmother’s name, and this year she is putting up Ian’s godmother. The names from all the Walls of Honor are later put in a book and distributed.
Even though the ride already happened, the teams are still collecting money to go toward the final total. Ian hopes to reach $1,000 before the deadline. To contribute to the Tour de Cure, donations can be mailed to ATTN: Tour de Cure, The American Diabetes Association, 1900 Powell St., Ste. 120, Emeryville 94608. Checks should be made payable to the American Diabetes Association and include “Ian Mills, Team BC” on the check so the donations will count toward Ian’s final total.
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