Family Honoree
Ruth and Bob Suneson

Many of us see ourselves in others, this is true of Carol Wund, a type one diabetic herself, when she saw the signs of type one diabetes in her 12 year old nephew Andrew in 2005. What she couldn’t see from the outside was a dangerous blood sugar level of 719. Bob and Ruth Suneson began a journey on this date that continues to this day. They have cared for Andrew, advocated for progress toward a cure, and raised important dollars for JDRF along the way. Each fall they are out in force, the Glucose Guru’s who have raised more than $50,000 through their walk efforts. There is nothing that this family won’t do, raising their hand to help all the time. Andrew today is 25 years old and doing well, no doubt in large part to the huge hearts that his parents have and their charitable mindset. When this family became part of the chapter, they set the bar about as high as it can get. We are grateful to them and are proud to honor them this year.

Corporate Honoree
Drs. Jenny and Bill Colman
Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County

Jenny grew up watching her mother, Margot Meyer, manage type 1 diabetes, day in, day out. Over the course of almost five decades, Margot incorporated advances in managing the disease into her daily routine, going from twice daily injections to using a pump, all the while following evolving recommendations for healthy eating and regular exercise. The combination of advancements in daily management and excellent self-care have enabled Margot to thrive into her golden years along with her husband, Bob Meyer. Together, they remain actively involved in the lives of their three children and eight grandchildren. Despite her excellent health, Margot has recently become painfully aware of the added complication diabetes brings to the common health issues of aging, and she hopes advances will continue to be made. This has become especially important to her since her grandson (Jenny’s nephew) was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few years ago as a fourteen year old.

Bill Colman spent his formative years in Hartland, Wisconsin, and Jenny spent hers in Bernardsville, New Jersey. After Bill graduated from Haverford College and Jenny graduated from Harvard College, they met at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Bill pursued orthopedic surgery, joining Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County fifteen years ago, serving as its managing partner for the last ten years. Jenny went on to become a psychiatrist, now working at Bard and Marist Colleges. Jenny and Bill are raising three sons and a daughter in Millbrook, New York, where they enjoy supporting their children’s academic and extracurricular endeavors, playing tennis, spending time outdoors, and working on a home they renovated in 2015. They are both delighted to be supporting JDRF with the hope that life for people with type 1 diabetes will become increasingly easy to manage.