Mt Laurel student to be honored at JDRF Gala

Like many kids his age, 8-year-old John Henry Kirkpatrick III looks up to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. 

Known for his signature Superman touchdown celebration, the former Auburn star can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. 

But to Kirkpatrick, a Mt Laurel Elementary School second-grader with Type 1 diabetes, it’s not Newton’s athletic ability that elicits his admiration.

“I like that every time he makes a touchdown that he gives the football away,” Kirkpatrick said. “It looks really nice, and it’s sweet when I see it.”

His affection is telling.

A dedicated Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation advocate who has donated countless hours toward fundraising and awareness events, Kirkpatrick has been recognized for his own philanthropic diligence. One of five Alabama youth selected for the distinction, Kirkpatrick will be presented the JDRF Living and Giving Youth Honoree Award at the Night of Heroes Gala, held Saturday, April 16, at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center. 

 “Those chosen kids will kind of be the face for diabetes for this year, which is really a big deal for all of them that were chosen, to be able to speak out and be the face of Type 1,” Lori Kirkpatrick, John Henry’s mother, said.

Heavily involved with the organization since his initial diagnosis in 2011, John Henry and his family — Lori, his father, John Henry Jr., and older sisters Annie, 13, and Lucy, 11 — have raised considerable funds for Type 1 research through their participation in JDRF’s annual One Walk.  Participating under the moniker Biggun’s Bunch, a salute to John Henry’s nickname — Biggun — Lori said her family’s team has raised more than $20,000 since it began walking five years ago.

Additionally, John Henry has used his autoimmune disease as a platform, speaking at various fundraising events while also contributing to video and art projects highlighted at the annual JDRF gala.

According to a JDRF press release, last year’s gala raised more than $470,000 for the organization’s Alabama Chapter, benefiting Type 1 research and treatment initiatives.  

“There’s so much on the horizon that now you’ve got JDRF parents who are not only saying we want life to be better, but we can actually see that light,” Lori said.

For families like the Kirkpatricks, JDRF’s sheer existence offered a ray of hope in a seemingly dim situation. 

Shortly after John Henry’s third birthday in January 2011, Lori brought him to his pediatrician for a routine visit, noting a few uncharacteristic signs she had noticed in her son: excessive thirst, irritability and frequent urination. 

Stemming from her career experience as an audiologist, Lori said she knew something wasn’t right when her 2-year-old stood in front of the refrigerator and constantly gulped down cups of water. 

“I just knew enough to be concerned, which really, really was a blessing,” Lori said.

Upon hearing the symptoms, John Henry’s pediatrician immediately checked his blood sugar, confirming Lori’s suspicions. While normal blood sugar levels range between 100-180 millimoles per liter, John Henry’s registered at a staggering 588.

Instantly diagnosed with Type 1, John Henry was sent to Children’s Hospital, where he remained for three days while doctors worked to lower his blood sugar. 

With no family history of the disease, the diagnosis sent the Kirkpatrick family in a tailspin.  

“You’re kind of blindsided when you’re told your child has this disease and there’s no cure for it,” Lori said, “and your thought is, ‘How?’ Where did this come from, and what do we do now?’”

JDRF helped the family answer those questions. 

After learning about the organization’s mission and hearing a doctor speak about research at a JDRF event following John Henry’s diagnosis, the Kirkpatricks decided they were on board with the foundation.

“I never thought I’d be a member of it, didn’t know it existed,” John Henry Jr. said, “but I guess until we have a cure and we can stop doing this fundraising, we’re going to be all in.”

For more information about the Night of Heroes Gala, visit jdrf-alabama.ejoinme.org/2016nightofheroes or contact Stephanie Raymon at the JDRF Alabama Chapter at 205-421-9964 or sraymon@jdrf.org.