Annual award recognizes outstanding Breakthrough T1D volunteer leadership
Hilton Head, S.C. and New York, Feb. 12, 2025—Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, proudly announces Carol Oxenreiter as the recipient of the 2024 Mary Tyler Moore Award for her remarkable contributions to the T1D community and her roles as a founding member of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s Steering Committee and organizer and first Lay Advisory Board Chairman.
The Mary Tyler Moore Award recognizes courageous women who are willing to take risks to promote positive change. The award is focused on pioneering female leadership that delivers meaningful impact in the T1D community.
Carol’s involvement with Breakthrough T1D began shortly after her daughter, Monica, was diagnosed with T1D at 13 months old. Three years later, the goal to find a cure became even more crucial when her son, John, was diagnosed with T1D at the age of eight.
Carol currently serves as the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative Lay Advisory Committee Chair and as a member of the Breakthrough T1D Global Mission Board and Directors Emeritus. Carol is also a former member of the International Board of Directors, past chair of the Research Committee, and immediate past-president of the Directors Emeritus. She has been a valued volunteer in both the Western Pennsylvania and Georgia and South Carolina chapters, where she has served in various roles to further the organization’s impact and outreach. She was a founding member of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s Steering Committee and the organizer and first Chairman of the Lay Advisory Board. She is recognized by her peers for her tireless commitment to Breakthrough T1D and the quest to find a cure, as a talented speaker who engages audiences with tailored research presentations, and as a skilled mentor who provides wise counsel with integrity to both volunteers and staff.
“It is with great pride that we present Carol Oxenreiter with the Mary Tyler Moore Award and recognize her exemplary leadership in driving awareness of type 1 diabetes complications and the breakthroughs that can help treat T1D complications,” said Aaron Kowalski, PhD, Breakthrough T1D CEO. “Carol’s generous service and pioneering spirit have cultivated engagement, advanced research efforts, and had a positive impact across our organization and in the type 1 diabetes community. We thank her for her ongoing dedication and celebrate her achievement.”
Breakthrough T1D recognizes and appreciates all of the dedicated volunteers and supporters who commit their lives to the worldwide effort to end T1D. Volunteer award recipients were recognized at the annual Breakthrough T1D One Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF
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.
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.
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