Community Corner
Local Family Prepares for Diabetes Walk
The Munman family will walk around Dodger Stadium on Nov. 6 with thousands of other volunteers to raise funds for diabetes research.
The Munman family of Calabasas is gearing up for an annual fundraiser walk on Nov. 6 at Dodger Stadium benefiting research efforts by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The family has had first-hand experience with Type 1 diabetes since 2003, when 10-year-old Makenzie Munman was diagnosed with the disorder.
As many as three million Americans are suffering from Type 1 diabetes, which causes the immune system to kill insulin-producing cells that are made in the pancreas, the foundation reports.
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Insulin helps move glucose through the human body and a build up of glucose could damage organs, according to the foundation.
"There's many families that are afflicted worldwide with Type 1 diabetes," said Ronald Munman, Makenzie's father and president of the foundation's central valley and greater Los Angeles-area chapter.
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On Sunday, volunteers from Calabasas High were stuffing envelopes with donation request forms that are to be mailed.
So far, the Munmans have raised more than $100,000 through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's walk in the past six years.
This year, the elder Munman has passed down some preparation responsibilities to his kids because he felt they were old enough. Makenzie is helping design her team's T-shirt.
Throughout her short life, Makenzie has gotten help from her parents, her siblings, including her twin sister Sydney and an insulin pump.
She says living with Type 1 diabetes hasn't really limited her from doing anything.
"It's little things," Makenzie said. "It might take me a little longer to eat cause I have to do other stuff."
She said she's excited about walking around Dodger Stadium on Nov. 6.
"I like the Dodgers, so it's exciting for me," Makenzie said.
Munman says the diabetes walk raises about $1.5 million annually and that the event is expected to drawn in 15,000 participants this year. To learn how to donate to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, click here.
Check out the accompanying video to see an interview with the Munman family.
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