Our work with diabetic children began 10 years ago, when we started assisting the American Diabetes Association in motivating diabetic children. These children are too young to understand the deadly complications of diabetes while becoming too independent to merely do what they were told. They react favorably only through examples of success, seeing what other people with diabetes have achieved. Then they are motivated to learn and control the disease.

The Flight for Diabetes, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded to increase public awareness and education programs for children with diabetes. Over the last three years, Michael and other Flight for Diabetes volunteers have provided motivational and inspirational presentations to thousands of people with diabetes across the Midwest. Held in conjunction with major aviation events, Flight for Diabetes will bring over 6,000 children through our unique program this season. Our organization participates in numerous high-visibility activities throughout the year, resulting in outstanding community interest and generous media exposure. We operate our program solely through private donations and corporate sponsorship of our high-visibility activities and substantial media coverage.

Our founders, Michael and Erica Hunter, share a story that explains the value of working to control diabetes. In 1981, Michael was a student pilot with a commitment to join the U.S. Air Force after graduation. His plans were shattered when diagnosed with diabetes, ending his aviation career. In 1998, following a 20-year struggle to control the disease, his lifelong dream to become a pilot was fulfilled. He won the first aerobatic contest he ever entered and has since gone on to become the world’s only diabetic air show pilot. Remembering how limited he felt when he was diagnosed, Michael says,“We have to prevent these children from feeling so lost. They need to see that diabetes does not need to keep them from their dreams. Their health and lives depend on desire to control their disease.”

Michael Hunter is the only insulin dependent aerobatics pilot in the world. Equally impressive is the fact that Michael went from being a private citizen, to student pilot, to flying aerobatics in an unheard of 18 months. His achievement is unprecedented in all of aviation.

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