Donald Vorwerk

From Rebecca, Donald’s daughter:

My dad was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 26, during his engagement to my mother. After his diagnosis he offered to break their engagement if she didn’t want to go through with it. Mom said she would go ahead with the marriage, but on the condition that he would have to take responsibility for his personal health. She told him she would promise to walk beside him, but she could not walk inside him through this journey. He would have to own his health journey, and she would do all she could to support him. I can testify that my father has taken full responsibility for his health just as he promised, and my mother has walked beside him and supported him in every way she could, just as she promised. In fact, my mother has developed a presentation she gives for people with chronic illness and their caregivers called “Keeping the Promise.” This program outlines the important lessons they’ve learned about the caregiver/care-receiver relationship and shares how to create a true partnership for the best quality of life. Their hard-won wisdom has helped many on the difficult journey of chronic illness.

In May 2023, we celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Dad has faced some difficult health challenges in the last few years. But overall, he’s doing well. In fact, doctors often tell him he looks better than many people decades younger who don’t have diabetes! I’m convinced this is because of my dad’s careful tracking of his blood sugar levels, and disciplined, healthy diet. I would like to give him this award to honor his achievement and also to honor my mother’s steadfast care for him all these years. It really has been a partnership, and I’m convinced he would not have lived to this age and in the good shape he’s in now if it weren’t for the dedication and commitment they have both brought to walking this journey together. It would be a joy to honor them both in this special way.