Joe Mure
Vice President of Treasury,
New York Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

BY STEVE MOSCO

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 6:35 PM EST

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Mure has been the treasurer of the Juvenile Diabetes foundation for 13 years and, in that time, he has dedicated his actions to helping children stricken with this unforgiving disease. “My goal is to find a cure for diabetes and complications associated with the disease,” Mure said. However, his passion for finding a cure goes beyond being a mere charitable endeavor; his youngest son Michael was diagnosed with the disease in 2004. That same year, Mure’s fundraising efforts helped to remodel the Peninsula Hospital Center in Far Rockaway. “It’s time for us to put our heads together and find a cure,” he said.

JOB: Besides his ventures with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mure, 48, is also a practicing criminal attorney in Queens since 1987.

PERSONAL: Mure was raised in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn and later moved to Queens. He attended Kingsborough and Queens College and received his advanced degree in law at the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. He and his wife Maritza live in Neponsit with their three children, Christina, Joey and Michael. A former professional skater and avid athlete, Mure enjoys coaching his sons’ Little League teams.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Mure works tirelessly as an advocate for children with juvenile diabetes. “The biggest challenge is keeping up with all the work,” he said. Aside from his work within the foundation, Mure and his family host an annual holiday celebration that raises money and the spirits of children stricken with the disease. “I sit there and watch the smiles on the kids’ faces, and it’s all the joy I could ever want in a matter of seconds.”

FAVORITE MEMORY: “The birth of my first child,” he said. “Children are why you do the things you do. You try to work hard and make their life better than yours was.”

INSPIRATION: “Juvenile diabetes runs in my family,” he said. “When I see kids being forced to inject every day and check blood sugar levels six or seven times a day, I think there’s got to be a better way. I will continue to do what I do until a cure is found.”