She’s not alone Brianna D’Herde sports her Red Strider hat while attending last year’s American Diabetes Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes event in October. She had just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she took part in the 2010 walk. D’Herde is preparing for the walk this year by gathering a team and raising funds for diabetes research. A Red Strider is someone living with type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes who walks and raises funds for Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. COURTESY PHOTO Eight- year old Brianna D’Herde of Port Aransas is raising more than just money to help find a cure for diabetes. D’Herde also is raising awareness.

The youth plans to walk in the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes event on Saturday, Oct. 8. She invites anyone and everyone to join her in the walk to begin at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi before winding along Shoreline Boulevard. So far, she has a team of family and friends, some of them also diabetics.

D’Herde was diagnosed with Type One diabetes when she was 7, and requires daily injections of insulin.

She’s already raised $2,200 for the walk and hopes to raise another $2,800 before time’s up.

Most of the funds raised to date have been from the sale of jewelry she creates from syringe parts. She calls her jewelry Knot Shots ™, and it’s available at Fire It Ceramics and also Curves in Aransas Pass. She also is raising money by selling “paper shoes” at Value Bank, 500 S. Alister St. Donations for the shoes start at $1 and those who make a purchase may write their name on the front before having them hung on a wall at the bank.

Fundraising will continue through the date of the walk.

To donate towards the walk or join the team, contact the Knot Shots Team on line at http://main.diabetes.org/site/ TR/Events/General?team_ id= 508684& pg= team& fr_ id=7883.

Donations also may be made by contacting D’Herde’s mother, Mandie D’Herde, at (361) 779-8967 or mailing a check to or stopping by Bilmore and Son Hardware, 115 N. Alister St., Port Aransas, TX 78373. Businesses wishing to display Knot Shots ™may also contact Mandie D’Herde.