The History of Tri to Cure
In 1999 we began the “new normal” life as we called it, my son Stradford Helms was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Soon after, in the fall of 2001, Stradford began competing in triathlons. He participated in his first race in Charleston, SC on Sept. 9, 2001 and won his age group. Needless to say, he was hooked!! After many months of trying to find youth triathlons close to home in which Stradford could compete, with little success. we decided to combine the two passions in our lives – the sport of triathlon and inspiring others who face the daily challenges of living with Diabetes. The message was simple-never let Diabetes stand in the way of accomplishing your dreams! After several years Stradford moved on from the sport of triathlon and is now a professional cyclist with the Team Type 1 cycling team. Using the sport of cycling to instill hope, inspiration and motivation to others so they can know that Diabetes does not have to define who you are or what you accomplish in life.
"It's really fun! I wish I could do it everyday. I can't wait till next year." - Blake, age 10
Tri to Cure is a non-profit organization; all proceeds go directly to the chosen charity. The first year we were told to expect around 50 kids (mostly their friends) and to expect to break even. To our surprise, we had 153 kids participate and raised over $5000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The second year 253 participated and $10,000 was raised for JDRF. The third year saw 296 kids participate and over $9000 was raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of South Carolina. For 4 years in a row Tri to Cure was the largest youth triathlon in the United States.
My goal for Tri to Cure will always remain constant: To help kids experience and enjoy the sport of triathlon and human accomplishment while giving them the opportunity to help kids facing the daily challenges of fighting a disease. Our motto is a simple one: “Kids helping Kids cross the finish line for a cure-Faster!”
