When a popular radio program in Spain aired an interview with a leading Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) scientist, Juan Dominguez-Bendala, MD, Clara Vega’s father, Mario, was listening. That was all it took to fire up Clara, whose burning desire is to help find a cure for her son, Mario (named after Grandpa), diagnosed at the age of 13 months with type 1 diabetes. They reached out to Dr. Bendala, arranged a visit to the DRI, and a beautiful relationship with the Institute and Foundation was born.
“Clara wastes no time mincing words about what drives her,” said Dr. Bendala. “I am not a doctor or scientist,” she told him. “But I know how to make wine, and I am very good at it. That’s my talent, and if I can use it to help find a cure for Mario, I will stop at nothing.”
Clara doesn’t want any recognition, and the word “philanthropist” troubles her. “The only thing I want is for my son to be free of diabetes,” she explained. “I am a winemaker. If it wasn’t for Mario, our paths may have never crossed. My motivations are very selfish!”
Clara’s family: Clara Vega, husband Enrique Andrades, and children Mario and Inés.
That understandably “selfish” motivation to help her son has enabled the Vega Clara Winery, located in Ribera del Duero, Spain, to raise more than $60,000 in support of cure-focused research at the DRI over the last three years. Mario is today a thriving eleven-year-old boy navigating his T1D while bringing the usual “almost a teenager” challenges to mom and family. And the DRI is never far from her mind.
“We launched a wine label several years ago – D’ACAN Vega Clara – dedicated exclusively to raising money for research at the DRI,” said Clara. “D’ACAN Vega Clara is my most personal project, where I’ve tried to pour all my passion and vocation for wine into something very special.” 100% of the profits from the sale of D’ACAN Vega Clara are donated to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation in support of cure-focused research at the DRI.
“I have looked at research institutes around the world, and the DRI is the place I believe gives us the best hope to eventually cure my son and rid the world of this insidious disease,” added Clara. “Because THEY will NEVER give up, and WE will NEVER give up, until the mission of finding a biological cure has been fulfilled.”
If you want to enjoy a really good wine with the knowledge that your purchase is supporting cutting edge research at the DRI, take a look at D’ACAN Vega Clara – https://vegaclara.com/en/.
Mario and his mom thank you! And so do we. Salud!
# # #