Youth Delegates Living with Type 1 Diabetes and
Katie Bone, American Ninja Warrior Champion Who Lives with Type 1 Diabetes Provided Testimony at a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing
More than 1.5 million Americans live with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 9, 2025 – Today, Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, urged members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to renew the Special Diabetes Program (SDP). The SDP has contributed to nearly every breakthrough to cure, treat, and prevent T1D and its complications, including in cell therapies that are paving the way to cures. Led by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) the hearing took place during the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress, a biennial event that brings over 170 kids and teens living with T1D face-to-face with lawmakers and top decision-makers. The youth delegates traveled to Washington, D.C. from all 50 states and Breakthrough T1D’s five international affiliates in the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada.
The SDP has accelerated the pace of T1D research through a long-term investment of funding at the National Institutes of Health. The program has led to significant scientific breakthroughs, including Tzield, the first disease-modifying treatment for T1D, which can delay the onset of the disease by up to three years, on average. Without Congressional action, the SDP will expire in September.
“The Special Diabetes Program has helped put transformative therapies into the hands of people with type 1 diabetes. This program has fundamentally changed what it means to live with T1D,” said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., CEO of Breakthrough T1D. “Now, cures for type 1 diabetes are within reach due to the groundbreaking clinical trials in cell therapies funded by the Special Diabetes Program. To maintain this life-changing progress toward type 1 diabetes cures, renewing the Special Diabetes Program is critical.”
The hearing included testimony from Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, who spoke to the scientific value of the SDP. Katie Bone, an American Ninja Warrior champion who lives with T1D and acted as a T1D role model during the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress, also provided testimony.
“From earning a spot on the youth and Elite U.S. climbing teams, to becoming the youngest women’schampion on American Ninja Warrior, I’ve learned how to compete at the highest level, while managing my type 1 diabetes,” said Katie Bone. “Today, I wear a continuous glucose monitor on my arm. It gives me a blood sugar reading every five minutes and lets me see trends in real time on my phone. The development of this technology did not happen by accident. It is a direct result of policymakers, who have funded the Special Diabetes Program.”
Two Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress delegates shared their T1D experience with the committee:
Ruby Whitmore: 16-year-old Ruby is an aspiring trauma surgeon. She gives back to her community through the Kiwanis Club and is the incoming president of her local Best Buddies organization.
Rachel White: 16-year-old Rachel is an honor student and nationally ranked tennis player who aspires to continue her tennis career at the college level.
Following the hearing, the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress delegates continued their advocacy by meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
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About Breakthrough T1D
As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition. To learn more about our work, please visit www.BreakthroughT1D.org.
About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D.
