Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) is joining forces with Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) Northeast Board Chairman John Carrion and DRIF Northeast Board of Directors member Bob Parant in support of the fifth annual Team DRI Walk, Run or Ride Event on Saturday, Sept. 13.
Starting at Cedar Creek Park in Seaford, participants select their own pace and distance – whether by biking, walking or running – on a route spanning the distance between the park and Jones Beach (or further or shorter – the participant chooses the distance) to raise funds and awareness for DRIF’s pursuit of a cure for type 1 diabetes. The 2024 edition drew more than 125 participants and raised over $100,000, elevating the total raised since 2019 through the Walk, Run or Ride event to more than $350,000.
This year’s presenting sponsor is TK.Type 1, a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring families living with type 1 diabetes have the tools, resources, and encouragement to manage their condition and thrive. Their mission is focused on empowering families affected by type 1 diabetes through comprehensive education, compassionate emotional support and critical financial assistance, including medical reimbursement for essential diabetes care.
The missions of both DRIF and TK.Type 1 intersects within the life journey of Bob Parant, a member of DRIF’s Northeast Board of Directors. Parant, of Westbury, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1972 as a 19-year-old college athlete.
“I’ve been working with John and Keith Adwar, who serves on the DRIF Northeast Board of Directors, for the last four years, and it is a great way of getting word out about DRIF to the community and showing the greater Long Island community what we’re doing,” he said of the upcoming Walk, Run or Ride event.
After college, he embarked upon a successful career in pharmaceutical sales and healthcare, rising through the ranks and using his personal experience and professional background to help people to the best of his ability. Upon retiring in 2010, he has distinguished himself in the world of advocacy – working closely with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for nearly a decade, sharing his story at public schools and becoming immersed in JDRF’s fundraising bike rides in Vermont.
After retiring, Parant, who got involved in DRIF about six years ago, focused on Washington, D.C. as a patient advocate. As a leader in the fight for affordable insulin, he introduced former President Joe Biden during a September 2022 Rose Garden ceremony announcing provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act mandating $35 insulin for Medicare recipients.
Parant has never let his diagnosis slow him down; in fact, when he returned to college and he was not recruited for the college team he tried out for, “I walked across the field and started playing rugby,” he recalled. Ater sustaining an infection on his leg that ultimately required multiple amputations, he remained an active cyclist and stresses the importance of regular exercise as a part of any treatment plan.
“I’m still here, 52 years later, riding the bike with one leg. In today’s day and age, if you start out on the pumps and the continuous glucose monitors, you’ll be in better condition,” he said. “It’s very possible to live a full, adventurous life with type 1 diabetes if you have the right attitude about getting out there.”
Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton, who has served on DRIF’s Long Island and Northeast Regional boards, said Parant’s passion has inspired families across Long Island and opened doors in DRIF’s battle to end diabetes in our lifetime.
“As a mother of a child living with diabetes, I know how access to comprehensive treatment creates pathways to a healthy and more fulfilling life,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “By sharing his story, advocating for affordable care, and leading by example, Bob is continuing to make a tremendous impact – and I am so proud to be working alongside him and all my friends at DRIF. I encourage everyone to join us at Cedar Creek Park in Seaford on Sept. 13 as we celebrate the five-year anniversary of this wonderful event and renew our commitment to the fight for a cure.”
Visit https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/walkrunride2025 for details on how to register for the bike/walk/run and information on becoming a sponsor of the event.
