Fund A Cure with The Solheim-Ortiz Family | Breakthrough T1D DC Metro/MD Gala 2026

The Solheim-Ortiz Family

Left to right – Miles, Bella, Manny, Kristin, Max, Dexter | Miles and Bella

Hello – We are Kristin Solheim and Manny Ortiz and Type 1 Diabetes has been part of our family’s story for nearly two decades. Our son Miles was diagnosed at just six years old. Today, he is 25 and has spent almost his entire life managing this condition. Two years ago, our daughter Bella was diagnosed out of the blue at age 13. We thought we had a handle on T1D by then but we didn’t know how hard it would be to watch a second child face it. Today, Bella is almost 16, and has faced this diagnosis with a lot of grit and grace. We are so proud of both of them and together our family is standing up to say we’re not waiting for a cure, we’re driving toward one.

This year, we are honored to serve as the Fund A Cure Family for the Breakthrough T1D Hope Gala on Saturday, November 14th at Union Station in Washington, DC. We will share our family’s T1D journey with the gala’s guests in an effort to help raise more than $2.3 million for T1D research. We’d be honored to have you join us. Please become a sponsor, purchase tickets or a table, or make a gift directly through Bella’s Champions page. Every dollar accelerates the research that will change what it means to live with T1D not only for Miles and Bella but for the millions around the world just like them. Thank you for standing with us.