When Chris and Lynda Barnes learned that their son, Troy, had Type I Diabetes in 2008, they immediately realized that they needed to do their part to help take on the disease.
The Double Oak couple, both professional championship bowlers, started the Strike Out Diabetes bowling event to raise awareness about the condition that they know in their hearts one day a cure will be found.
To stay alive, Troy, 9, must take multiple insulin injections daily and test his blood sugar by pricking his finger six or more times a day.
“It was one of those things as a mom that I couldn’t kiss and make go away,” Lynda Barnes said. “So I had to find something I could do to feel like I was helping him with. I decided that this was a good place to start in feeling like I was helping to find a cure.”
The Strike out Diabetes Charity Event is in its third year of existence, and Barnes said it is important to her because of how her loved ones have been affected.
“It’s all about Troy,” Barnes said. “I also have some friends that are diabetic, and I just hate to see them go through it on a daily basis. If I can help in any way, that’s my job.”
The event will be held on Saturday, June 2, at AMF Lewisville Lanes on Main Street in Lewisville, and Barnes said people can donate online or come out and be a part of the event.
“We’d like to have people come out on the day of the event and participate,” Barnes said. “We request a donation of $100 or more if they would like. We have professional bowlers that come in. We have a youth clinic at 10 o’clock that’s a $25 donation to learn from some of the best bowlers in the world.
“We’ll have auction items and prizes and raffle tickets, and it is just a great time for a great cause.”
Barnes said she hopes that a couple of things come from this event and said she wanted to do something to show her support for finding a cure that she is really passionate about.
“I hope that we raise awareness about Diabetes and the different types,” Barnes said. “Anything that we can do to help with research and to one day find a cure is why we do it, and we love bowling.
“Bowling has been our life, and it is an opportunity for us to share with other people something that we love.”
The Strike out Diabetes charity event will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning TV Sports Director and Anchor, Scott Murray.
The event raised $50,000 last year, and Barnes said the goal this year is to raise $60,000. Visit www.strikeoutdiabetes.org for more information.
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