Gus meets with Jacob Rivers as part of the 2009 Children's Congress for Juvenile Diabetes

Video Courtesy of Bay News 9

PASCO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- An Odessa boy with Type 1 Diabetes traveled to the Capitol to speak at the 2009 Children's Congress for Juvenile Diabetes.

Bay News 9 previously featured 11-year-old Jacob Rivers on the Everyday Heroes segment for organizing the 'Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes.'

The Children's Congress delegates range from age 4 to 17 and represent all 50 states as well as five other countries. They also all live with Type 1 Diabetes.

Rivers was given a camera from Bay News 9 to record daily logs of his journey.

He spent several days with lawmakers and his parents, Tim and Dori, who manned the camera.

"We lobbied Congress and told them our stories about us when we were diagnosed and why we want a cure and why they should keep funding research," Rivers said.

Rivers met some superstars who also live with diabetes, and had his picture taken with Sugar Ray Leonard.

He said the best part was meeting President Obama.

Rivers' family also had some memorable experiences in Washington, DC.

"Congressman Bilirakis was just phenomenal to us," Tim Rivers said, "He really took a liking to Jacob and he really brought him in and around the whole Capital and brought him on the house floor and let him make a vote for him."

Rivers' battle with diabetes will never end until a cure is found.

"It's just hard living with the disease just in a normal life," Rivers said.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gus Bilirakis
• Juvenile Diabetes