An ACU student hosts a Distance for Diabetes Walk to raise awareness and funds for treatment and research for diabetes. There is no registration fee for participants, but donations are strongly encouraged.
Ariel Combs, junior biology major from Waco, took it upon herself to organize the walk because of personal experience with the disease.
“I have several family members that are diabetic, so I have been around it my entire life,” said Combs. “Because of that, and the fact that it is not a well-known problem in America, is the reason I got involved in the first place.”
Combs’ passion for health also plays a role in her activism.
“I’m also very passionate about health – I am pre-med and a nutrition minor – which also drives me to bring awareness to this problem and help to find a cure,” said Combs.
Combs began the fundraiser with a specific goal of money to raise and is steadily approaching it.
“We are $500 away from our goal of $4,000,” Combs said. “We’ve had about 25 people sign up so far and we’re hoping for a lot more.”
Joshua Day, junior youth and family ministry major from Katy, has partnered with Combs to make the event a success.
My girlfriend, Ariel, has always wanted to be a part of something big and help bring a difference to people’s lives,” Day said. “She found out about hosting a community walk and brought it to me and asked me if I thought it was a good idea to pursue. I have mainly just been support for Ariel as she has pursued this dream of hers.”
The walk is sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, but Combs and Day were responsible for providing a location and took on the responsibility of providing T-shirts to raise money.
“The American Diabetes Association lets people do community walks, which is what I’m doing, so they sent me some flyers and banners to get it started,” Combs said. “We got some shirts made on our own and we’re selling them for $6.”
“It’s free for everyone, but donations are strongly encouraged,” Combs said.
The Distance for Diabetes Walk is not affiliated with ACU and will be held on the Lunsford Trial on Friday at 6 p.m.
