News and Events:

Upcoming Events, Join us, and make a difference:
2009, September... Yes, it's fund-raising time, and you can help! On October 11, 2009, we invite you and your friends to join us at our 2nd Bowling for Courage event. Information and registration form is available on our home page top banner.

You can join the Courage Club and Sign a Lion for $1 with our "For the Love of Lions" campaign. This fund-raiser is always available, great for retail establishments and so easy to do. This campaign brings awareness about Type 1 diabetes and helps us raise money to continue our support programs. If you know of a business that would like to help support our programs for these brave children and young people battling Type 1 diabetes, then please let us know. November (National Diabetes Awareness Month) is always a great time for this effort.

Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce:
2009, July... We are so grateful that the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce believes in our mission. They have made a difference in the lives of our brave children and young people who battle daily to live. Kids With Courage was fortunate enough to be chosen to be the recipient of a $500 contribution from their annual golf event. Kids With Courage also benefited by having the ability to share it’s mission with Lee’s Summit businesses, and bring much needed awareness about Type 1 diabetes. Thank you Lee’s Summit, and thank you Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce!

FedEx/Kinko’s, now FedEx Office and Bobby Brugger:
2009, June... Bobby Brugger’s daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Her daughter received one of our ‘Crate, Full of Courage’ crates. Bobby felt that the bundle of encouragement was so helpful to her and her daughter that they had to help. Bobby talked with her employer, FedEx/Kinko’s and arranged for a $500 donation. Bobby’s gesture validates that the ‘Crate, Full of Courage’ program is making a positive impact in the lives of children, young people and their families at a profoundly difficult time. We thank you Bobby and FedEx. Bobby states “I appreciate working for a company that is global in scale and in heart.” They have a special place in our hearts too…thank you!

New Incoming Sponsors:
2008, December... We are extremely pleased to welcome a new sponsor to the KWC foundation. Insulet Corporation, makers of the Omni Pod Insulin Delivery System, has generously offered to become a crate sponsor. We thank them for their involvement. Their contributions will help us fill many more 'Crates Full of Courage'. Thank you Insulet Corporation!

Kansas City Repertory Theater graciousness:
2008, December... Stepping in to provide help, the Kansas City Repertory Theater offered the talents of their staff to construct 300 crates! We received the crates and they are fabulous! This will keep us in good supply for one year. Thank you KC Rep for coming to our rescue!

For the Love of Lions:
2008, November... We are so very excited to have renewed our "For the Love of Lions" campaign for it's second year. Businesses participated by having clients and customers sign a paper 'lion' and contribute a minimum donation of $1 to have that Lion displayed at that place of business. This is an enormously successful campaign for us and we are very grateful for the businesses that participated for the second year:

• Classic Hair. 9914 Holmes, Kansas City
• Cupini’s. 601 NE Woods Chapel Road, Lee’s Summit
• Nila’s Pizza, 522 S. Main, Grain Valley

• Governor Stumpy’s. 321 E. Gregory Blvd, Kansas City
• 7-Eleven, 319 E. 63rd St, Kansas City

Bowling for Courage!
2008, October... Years ago, there was a local Game Show on television called, "Bowling for Dollars". That is exactly what happened for KWC on a Sunday afternoon in October. Both adults and kids combined on the lanes to raise money for KWC at Summit Lanes in Lees Summit, MO.

Our thanks go out to all the participants as well as the following sponsors: Lee’s Summit Lanes, Insulet Corporation, K & S Medical, Cupini’s, Blake Roberson of State Farm Ins, Broken Arrow Electric Supply, Carter Creations, Happy Hour Liquors, Steven B. Lemieux, DDS, Manny’s of KC, Molly Jaynes Clothing Boutique, Olive Garden Restaurant, Paradise Park, Trezomare Ristorante, Barry Stipp Photography.

It's Official, Roche Diagnostics is Kids With Courage First Sponsor:
2008, May... On behalf of the many children and young people whose lives have been forever changed with a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, we are grateful to Roche Diagnostics (Accu-chek) for stepping forward to stand beside us in our ambitious endeavor to start the Kids With Courage Foundation. We truly appreciate your desire to comprehend the significance of our foundation. You will always have the distinct honor of being the Kids With Courage first official sponsor. A very special thank you goes out to Bridget and Charlie for making this happen!

Thank You Clinton School District:
2008, April... The Kids With Courage Foundation was blessed and honored to be the charitable benefactor of the Clinton School District's lovely event, "From a Father's Heart Charity Ball". This ball is an important component of the Month of the Child, a child advocacy initiative celebrated nationally each year. The purpose of Month of the Child is to focus public attention on issues affecting children. The "From a Father's Heart Charity Ball" is one of the most important events held during this annual initiative. Through this special event they are able to: Celebrate the special bond between a father and child; Provide fathers an opportunity to make a commitment of time and presence to what matters most,...children...and family; Model for children the importance of contributing to the community; And raise awareness about children’s health concerns.

The School District chose Kids With Courage to receive their donation because Trent, an 11 year old student at Clinton was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about a month before their event. Trents mother Sarah, is a teacher in the Clinton School District. Trent had received a "Crate, Full of Courage". Sarah said that "The Uninvited Stranger", our booklet of support touched upon each and every emotion she was feeling after this life-altering diagnosis.

This incredible gesture validates that the "Crate, Full of Courage" program is making a positive influence in the lives of children, young people and their families at a profoundly difficult time.

Living with diabetes, as Trent is forced to do, is a life-long battle. We believe that Trent is a remarkably brave young man: with the love and help of his wonderful parents and the support of the amazing Clinton community, he will be able to succeed even with the challenges that diabetes will bring throughout his life.

Sometimes words just are not enough to convey the gratitude we feel toward the entire Clinton community for their generous gesture and most valuable support. Your actions and your significant contribution to our "Crate, Full of Courage" program will go a long way in "Keeping Dreams Alive" for other newly diagnosed children and young people at Children's Mercy Hospital.

Mr. Lee Iacocca wrote to us recently.
2008, April... He says... "I want to congratulate you for taking the initiative to purse positive steps toward coping with this terrible disease. It is my goal to find a cure within my lifetime, so that foundations like yours won't be necessary."

Join the Courage Club. Sign a Lion for $1.
2008, April... This fund-raiser is always available to do. Great for retail establishments and so easy to do. If you would like to bring awareness about Type 1 diabetes, and help us raise money to continue our support programs, you can help! If you know of a business that would like to support our brave children and young people battling Type 1 diabetes, please let us know.

Tragic News:
2008, March... The tragic news of an 11 year old little girl in Wausau, Wisconsin who died because her parents didn't know she had Type 1 diabetes, and did not seek medical attention to save her life causes us much grief, sadness and outrage. The general public's reactions, opinions, writings and comments can also be alarming.

The seriousness of Type 1 diabetes is widely misunderstood by our society. Why? A combination of factors I'm sure. Is it that the disease with a similar name, Type 2 diabetes is so prevalent that people incorrectly associate the name diabetes as one generic disease, even though as a matter of science, they are two distinctly different diseases? It is very possible that the general population may not understand the disease unless they are affected by it. Whatever the reasons, there is an enormous need for education, information and awareness about this dreadful disease. Our precious children should not have to suffer a slow and painful death or lose their lives prematurely!

In response to this heartbreak, the Kids With Courage Foundation is taking several actions. We will be appealing to numerous media outlets asking them to use their powerful communication ability to publish our press release "100% OF THE TIME, YOUR CHILD WILL DIE IF THEY HAVE UNDIAGNOSED AND UNTREATED TYPE 1 DIABETES". The information will contain early warning signs, and symptoms to watch for in children, along with information about Type 1 diabetes. In addition, Kids With Courage plans to send this same information to all local school district administrative offices, beckoning them to use there strong vehicles to get this critical information to children and families.

"All-In For Courage" a huge success:
2008, February... Our charity poker tournament "All In For Courage" that took place this month was a tremendous success. Everyone who played enjoyed good food and had a great time. We were able to bring awareness about Type 1 diabetes, and the benefits that our programs are having on our children and young people with battling it, and raise a little money to continue our programs. We are truly grateful to the many local businesses who contributed prizes. We thank all who participated, and all who volunteered their time to help. Special thanks to Aaron Rose of Hereford House Restaurants, Russ and Lise Groshans of Casa Bella Homes, and volunteers, Alexa and Sheila Blaschke. Jay Miller, the 1st place prize winner of a 37" LCD/HDTV, asked, "When's the next tournament?"

Thank You MedPORT!
2007, September... MedPORT (www.medportllc.com) manufactures the best diabetes organizers ever made! That's not the only thing they make. They definitely helped make our day!

Christy M, a MedPORT representative informed us that MedPORT will donate a number of their MedPORT Daily Organizer's to "Kids With Courage". These handy organizers will be packed into the "Crateful of Courage" that we give to children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. We have received these donated organizers and they are Awesome!

So a sincere "Thank You" to MedPORT for stepping up to help put these courageous kids on the road to effectively managing their Type 1 diabetes!

Press Kit: Kids With Courage Press Kit