Each year since her diagnosis, Bisi has done the JDRF walk-a-thon to raise money to fight diabetes. Last year, we tried (unsuccessfully) to get basketball stay Ray Allen to give to Bisi’s walk team. (Allen has a son with type 1, and he supports JDRF). This year, spurred by reading about Taylor Swift’s generosity to philanthropic causes (she has topped Dosomething.org’s Celebs Gone Good list three years in row), her habit of responding to fans on social media, and Bisi’s love for “1989” and all things Swift, we decided to try to reach out to the pop star. Also, Bisi knew that Nick Jonas (who has T1D) performed with Swift this summer on her tour, so we’re guessing Swift may have some awareness of how intensive it can be to manage TID; maybe she saw Jonas treat a low or bolus for a high? Anyway, Bisi wrote the following herself (with typing help from me), and we’ve posted it on Taylor’s fan page and Facebook page. No word from Taylor yet, but we’re hopeful…
Dear Taylor Swift,
I am a 9 year old girl living with type 1 diabetes, which means I have to take insulin whenever I eat, and it’s pretty hard to control my blood sugar. This can get very annoying sometimes. I wear an insulin pump (I used to get shots). Every time I change my pump, which is every three days, I sing the beginning of your song “22″ to distract me from the pain when the pump goes in. You are my favorite singer; my aunt took me to one of your concerts at Foxboro. I loved it when you made the fireworks go off during “Shake It Off.” I can see that you worked really hard on all the music and the sets. It was so amazing to be there.
Every year I do a walkathon through JDRF with friends and family to raise money to cure type 1 diabetes. It means a lot to me that my friends and family care so much and donate money to cure type 1 diabetes. Would you consider donating to my walk team, Team Bisi? We are walking on October 3. It’s okay if you don’t donate, but it would really mean a lot if you did, because I really, really don’t want to have type 1 diabetes for my whole life. Here is a link to my team page. If you go to the page, you will see a picture of me from last year’s walk. I am the one with my arms outstretched and an insulin pump on my leg. (My family’s dog, Cinnamon, who I really really love comes to the walk; she’s in the picture, too, wearing the team shirt I designed.
You are the best singer ever, and you will always be my favorite singer.
Love,
Bisi
PS—I love to sing too.
