Red Riders

Tools

By Nichole Szemerei

Story Published: Feb 26, 2009 at 6:48 AM MST

Story Updated: Feb 26, 2009 at 6:48 AM MST

BILLINGS - Imagine a life of constantly monitoring what you eat and checking with your doctor whenever you want to do any sort of activity. In the spirit of Montana, a Billings woman is fighting back against a deadly disease and looking for others to join her.

Lona Craft is a type 2 diabetic.

"When my blood sugar's too low I can pass out and they call that being diabetic, a coma. And I need to get sugar right away," says Craft.

And she's not the only one suffering from the disease.

"You don't have to be a certain size to get diabetes. You don't have to be a certain race or religion it can be anyone that can get it and any age."

Lona fights back by being prepared with her weapons of choice.

"I'll carry maybe Hot Tamales or chocolate M&M's with me or something like that to make sure I have some sugar on me."

She's also putting together a team of "Red Riders" to raise money to help find a cure. The goal is to ride in the Bozeman Tour de Cure September 18th.

"I just think it'd be a lot of fun to have other people with similar backgrounds that I do working towards better fitness and being able to have bragging rights to say I rode 100 miles in one day."

100 miles in one day!? This is going to take some hardcore practice. Training rides with Lona start March 1st on weekends and she's welcoming everyone to join in.

"They don't have to be diabetic to join the training rides they can also be family and friends of people that care about finding a cure."

And any kind of bike is also welcome, "it doesn't have to be a road bike it can be a mountain bike."
Diabetes doesn't discriminate and neither do these diabetics.

The Red Riders are still looking for sponsors and team members. To help or join you can contact the Billings Chapter of the American Diabetes Association at 256-0616.

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