Taking a break from hitting the slopes and road across the globe, professional snowboarder Sean Busby and marathon runner Stephen England made a stop in Westbury, New York this month for a special meet and greet with kids who like them are living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Their special visit was part of the annual Kids’ Carnival for a Cure at the Dave & Busters in The Source Mall. Hundreds of kids and their parents gathered to meet and greet the athletes and enjoy a fun-filled day of games and activities. The event raised more than $97,000 to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute’s (DRI) work toward finding a cure.
Busby and England took pictures with kids, played games and spoke to the kids’ about their personal experiences of not letting diabetes stop them from reaching their goals.
Busby—who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 19—is the founder of the nonprofit for kids with diabetes Riding On Insulin and became the first person with T1D to backcountry snowboard all seven continents.
“I am especially inspired by children with T1D, who have to grow up with an intimate awareness of their bodies’ limitations and needs. I understand them and what they are going through,” said Busby addressing the crowd at the event. “I believe I was given this disease for a reason, and that’s to show others anything’s possible. It is a privilege to celebrate these brave boys and girls. It’s awesome for them to have such a great day together and I am happy to be part of it.”
England—who was diagnosed at 14 years old—is a long distance and ultra-marathon runner with team Novo Nordisk, a group of cyclists, triathletes and runners all living with T1D, competing in races across the United States and worldwide.
“It’s an honor to be here today,” said England, who also competes in several top marathons, including the Boston Marathon, JFK 50 and the Leadville 100, where he met team Novo Nordisk. “Inspiring others, especially the children here with type 1 diabetes is what I am meant to do. The message I would like to leave is keep running the race—you can still do what you want with your life, even with diabetes.”
Along with getting to meet inspirational athletes, children in attendance also enjoyed video games, bowling, billiards, prizes, food, goody bags and other fun activities for the whole family.
