Sarah Ford | November 24, 2014
UM’s Diabetes Research Institute working toward cure of Type 1 diabetes
By Katie Lepri
Dr. Camillo Ricordi considers himself a diabetes freedom fighter.
Ricordi, the director of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is considered one of the world’s leading scientists in diabetes cure-focused research.
“The search for a cure is a full-time job,” said Ricordi, 57, who has been searching for a cure for the degenerative disease for more than 25 years. “It has to be something to consume you completely.”
In his office near Jackson Memorial Hospital, he keeps framed photographs of his most compelling Type1 diabetes patients near his desk, as a reminder of why he continues the crusade. One photograph is of former Miami Heat star Ray Allen’s son, Walker Allen, who was diagnosed with Type1 diabetes when he was 17 months old.
There is no known cure for Walker and the 382 million people diagnosed worldwide with diabetes. Of those, 5percent have Type1 diabetes, which primarily affects children and young adults. In Type1, the body’s immune system destroys pancreatic cells that make insulin, the hormone needed to regulate the body’s blood sugar. People with Type1 diabetes must have daily insulin injections or be on an insulin pump to survive.
Ricordi thinks that in the next three to seven years there will be a cure for Type1 patients.
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Explore More Articles
Women’s Health Month
May is Women’s Health Month, a time when we focus on the importance of taking care of ourselves and our health. This month is an…
Read Article
Military Spouse Appreciation Day
May 10 marks the celebration of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, a time to honor and recognize the immense contributions made by military spouses in supporting…
Read Article
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. In addition to the skin, melanoma may also occur in mucous membranes – thin, moist layers of tissue that cover surfaces…
Read ArticleGet Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.
