JDRF-funded researcher Ann Marie Schmidt. PHOTO: Chip Simons

What exactly would a cure look like?

A world without diabetes would have three main characteristics.

· There would be no more blood sugar swings—everyone would have normal blood sugars.
· There would be no more "complications," or problems caused in the body by diabetes.
· No one would get diabetes in the future.

In fact, these are JDRF's three "goal areas" in its quest for a cure.

There are several paths leading to each goal. Along each path are steps that must be taken with scientific research, difficult problems that must be solved.