Local teen with type 1 diabetes invited to State of the Union Address

A Western New York teen with type 1 diabetes is advocating for research funding to find a cure for the autoimmune illness.

AT 9 O'CLOCK, RIGHTHERE ON 7-ABC.AND A YOUNGWESTERN NEWYORKER WILL BEAMONG THE GUESTSATTENDING TONIGHT'SSTATE OF THE UNIONBEN CORNELL, A 14-YEAR-OLD FROMBEMUS POINT,RECEIVED AN INVITEFROM CONGRESSMANTOM REED.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALAERREBHI REPORTS,BEN IS A YOUNG MANON A LIFE-SAVINGMISSION.,COUNTING CARBS,MEASURING BLOODSUGARS, MULTIPLEDAILY INSULININJECTIONS, ANDTREATING LOW BLOODSUGARS IN THEMIDDLE OF THENIGHT...THAT'S JUST ASNAP SHOT OF WHAT ATYPE ONE DIABETICHAS TO DO FOR THEREST OF THEIR LIVES.AND IT CAN BEEXHAUSTING."IT'S A STRUGGLE IT'SNOT VERY EASY, ANDIT'S ALWAYS LIKE,THERE.

YOU NEVERREALLY GET A BREAK."BEN CORNELL WASDIAGNOSED WITHTYPE 1 DIABETESWHEN HE WAS TENYEARS OLD.

HE'S NOWADVOCATING FORRESEARCH FUNDINGTO FIND A CURE FORTHE AUTOIMMUNEILLNESS."I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVEIT ANYMORE, AND JUSTANYTHING ANYBODYCAN DO TO HELP ITJUST MAKES US THATMUCH CLOSER.SUPPORTING HIM ISEDWARD DICKEY,BOARD PRESIDENT OFTHE WNY CHAPTER OFTHE JUVENILEDIABETES RESEARCHFOUNDATION.

HISDAUGHTER HAS TYPE1 AS WELL."THANKFULLY THERE'STECHNOLOGIES THATHAVE COME ALONG INTHE LAST TEN YEARSTHAT HAVE MADE LIFEEASIER TO LIVE WITHBUT IT IS BY NO MEANSA CURE.

INSULIN IS BYNO MEANS A CURE, WENEED TO CONTINUE TOFUND RESEARCH ANDTRY TO FIND A CUREFOR DIABETES."ANOTHER MAJORISSUE TYPE ONEDIABETICS FACE ISINSULINAFFORDABILITY."THE PRICE OF INSULIN- THE VITAL DRUG FORTYPE 1 DIABETICS HASSKYROCKETED OVERTHE LAST DECADE.LEADING PEOPLE TOCROSSING OVER THEBORDER TO CANADA TOGET CHEAPER DRUGS,OR MOREDANGEROUSLY -RATIONING THEIRINSULIN."BUT DICKEY ISHOPEFUL A CURE WILLBE FOUND."IN THE LAST SIXMONTHS THE SPECIALDIABETES PROGRAM,THE SDP, WASAPPROVED BYCONGRESS AND GAVEUS $97 MILLION OVERTHE LAST SIX MOTHSTO HELP FIND A CUREFOR DIABETES."HE SAYS IT'SIMPORTANT TO GET AMULTI-YEAR APPROVALOF THAT AGREEMENTSO JDRF DOESN'THAVE TO WORRYABOUT RE