Until yesterday, I had never heard of the JDCA, the Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance, in my 14 years of living with Type 1D and volunteering in my local diabetes community.

Chris Schutt, his son, Ned, American Idol Singer Elliott Yamin and I advocate for sustained federal research funds with U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-VA, in 2009.

Now I have. This month, the JDCA has introduced its latest report , “Is Type 1 Cure Research Funding Focused Enough?”

The report takes a look at a very important issue relating to cure research. Are the organizations being too broad when it comes to outlining plans for a type 1 diabetes cure and when funding projects? Based on JDCA’s research and the fact that there is no cure on the horizon, the non-profit’s analysis suggests that this is the case. The JDCA report says, “Without clearly defined goals, the non-profits are funding a wide array of research projects. As a result, a lot of money goes into efforts that are not working to deliver a Practical Cure for type 1 diabetes.  This diverts resources from those projects that are working towards a specified cure goal that could help people now living with the disease.”

If you’re living with this chronic disease, you wanted a cure YESTERDAY. It’s been over 40 years since a group of parents founded the JDRF at their kitchen table and yet We R still seeking a Cure.

In order to improve the quality of life for Type 1Ds, it’s important to listen and gather as much relevant information as possible. We must keep asking the researchers, organizations and manufacturers “When?” When we will see real progress. We must push them to be smarter and more targeted with a limited amount of dollars because We R the Cure. We R doing this for ourselves and the generations to come.

The JDCA is a self-funded non-profit that aims to educate donors and prompt transparency in the charitable organizations that raise money to support research.  JDCA says it is an independent analyst of the type 1 diabetes charitable universe and brings a business-like perspective to focus research toward a Practical Cure.  Their mission is to direct donor contributions to the charitable organizations that are most effective at allocating funds to research opportunities that maximize chances of curing type 1 diabetes by 2025.