Twelve-year-old Ethan Fox is like most sports-crazed boys his age, with one exception: he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly after his second birthday.
But he doesn’t let type 1 slow him down. A 7th-grader at Kiser Middle School in Greensboro, Ethan loves playing soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis. He enjoys building things (Ethan wants to be an engineer when he grows up). And he loves to travel with his family and spend time with his friends.
In addition to all his “normal” activities, Ethan is also passionate about helping JDRF find a cure for type 1. His “Ethan’s Foxtrotters” Walk team has walked in the Greensboro Walk to Cure Diabetes for 10 years. Ethan has scooped ice cream and poured root beer at The Fresh Market’s Sidewalk Sales and participated in the Promise to Remember Me campaign, explaining to US Senators and Members of Congress from North Carolina the importance of diabetes research.
Over the past 10 years, “Ethan’s Foxtrotters” have
Ethan Fox at Opening Night of JDRF's 2011 Children's Congress
Ethan Fox, Ashley Hinds, Senator Kay Hagan, and Robert Lane
raised more than $70,000 for JDRF. Ethan, his 10-year-old brother Adam, and their friends have even raised more than $500 for JDRF—twice—with lemonade stands!
With his burning desire to help find a cure for diabetes—and his love for travel—Ethan decided to apply for the 2011 JDRF Children’s Congress. He was one of 150 kids (ages 4 to 17) selected to attend this event, held in Washington, DC, in June.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really busy, and there were lots of activities and speeches,” said Ethan. “There were kids of all ages. It was good to see so many people excited about a cure, just like at the Walk to Cure Diabetes.”
Ethan enjoyed meeting so many new people—especially the athletes (including NFL player Kendall Simmons and Olympic gold medalist Gary Hall Jr.)—all of whom were focused on finding a cure for type 1.
When asked to describe the most important thing he learned at the Children’s Congress, Ethan said, “It was just like all the people we know who raise money for JDRF here in our area. We are a lot of kids living with diabetes who don’t sit around and complain, but try to do something about it to make our lives better.”
Summing up his experience in Washington, DC, Ethan said, “Meeting all those kids and their families in Washington was amazing!”
