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Of each dollar donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) of Greater Iowa/South Dakota, 87 cents goes to research. That high efficiency helped earn the organization a four-star rating – the highest possible – from nonprofit watchdog Charitynavigator.org.

More than the rating, the local chapter’s efficiency helped it contribute more than $4 million in 2008 to research through its parent organization, New York-based Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, which raised $156 million for finding a cure.

With help from JDRF donations, a major breakthrough was reached in the quest for a cure for diabetes, said Mary Hunter, executive director of the local chapter. In type 1 diabetics, the pancreas’ beta cells are either destroyed or stop producing insulin. Scientists, however, have found a way to regenerate insulin-producing beta cells, giving Hunter’s organization and the more than 3 million Americans with type 1 diabetes hope that a cure is near. Scientists now are attempting to get the body’s autoimmune system to accept the regenerated cells. Unfortunately, there is no timeline, or way to know when the breakthrough will happen.

“I think it will come in our lifetime,” Hunter said. “I hope type 1 diabetes will be the polio of our generation.”

Hunter’s optimism is high because of an increase in clinical trials from seven in 2005 to the more than 40 today.

One of those trials is taking place at the University of Iowa and revolves around the Continuous Glucose Monitor, which is a part of the Artificial Pancreas Project. Scientists there have been working on a sensor that works in conjunction with a pump to monitor blood sugar levels and deliver doses of insulin. The monitor alerts the user and prevents extremely high and low blood sugar levels, which if regularly occur can lead to more severe complications later in life. The next step, Hunter said, is to get the pump and sensor to work together without human intervention, effectively creating an artificial pancreas.

The local chapter holds numerous events including Wild for a Cure Hope Gala, a black-tie dinner and auction, which will be held Oct. 24. Last year, the event raised more than $350,000. Next April the chapter will hold the Walk to Cure Diabetes, a fund-raising walk in the Des Moines skywalk system; more than 8,000 people helped raise $1.5 million at last year’s event.