When he's not running his branding agency, Red Maxwell is the volunteer founder of Juvenation.org and serves as the National Chair of Online Communications for JDRF. He also blogs about being a dad to a child with diabetes at Daddybetes.com.
Red's diabetes connection: daughter Cassie was diagnosed at 18 months old over 10 years ago, and wife Marinda was diagnosed with Type 1 in 2007.

For a parent who deals with diabetes, true friends are easy to recognize.

They're the ones that are there for you as you grapple with the devastating news.
They're the ones that try to learn as much about the disease as you do.
They're the ones that generously give to your walk team year after year.
They're the ones that volunteer to take your child with diabetes for a sleep over.

Last week, our friend Margaret invited Cassie to spend the week (!) with her family in Chicago- which is a far piece from North Carolina. She diligently helped to monitor Cassie's blood sugars and accommodated her demanding gluten free diet (because of celiac disease). I am ever awed that anyone would be willing to voluntarily take on this kind of worry and responsibility. It's a heavy burden and true friends not only understand this, they want to share it with you. But I guess that's what separates true friends from the rest.

Note from Marinda: I "second" Red's blog post (which I am always hesitant to do as his wife, but could not resist on this one!!). As Cassie's mom, I am forever grateful to Margaret for the effort that she has always given to truly caring for Cassie. Margaret has given a gift to Red and I, knowing Cassie is safe while she is away from us. But, the biggest gift is to Cassie. For allowing her to feel somewhat "normal" at 14 and for the confidence that she has gained along the way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you! Marinda