A letter from your chapter leaders…
From July 11 to 13, Washington, D.C., hosted over 400 Breakthrough T1D supporters as Breakthrough T1D held its annual One Conference—a convening of a global team of volunteers and staff—to renew our purpose, strengthen our collective ability to advance our vision and mission, and nurture the critical staff/volunteer partnership.
Breakthrough T1D recognizes that volunteers and staff are not only fundraisers but also ambassadors, advocates, and spokespeople who carry a compelling connection to our cause. This year’s One Conference programs and education focused on specific areas that support chapter leaders as they advocate for Breakthrough T1D fundraising, volunteer engagement, and policy. We are extremely pleased to share with you some of the exciting information, activities, and impact from the 2018 Breakthrough T1D One Conference:
- Fiscal year 2018 was a productive year for Breakthrough T1D, with total fundraising revenue up 14 percent over last year (passing $200 million dollars!). This has allowed for a more than 20-percent increase in funds to mission compared to just two years ago. Breakthrough T1D staff and volunteers have been able to reallocate their time and talents to areas that have the greatest impact on our mission. And because Breakthrough T1D is focused on efficiency and effectiveness, the dollars devoted toward type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and our mission are growing even faster.
- For every $1 that Breakthrough T1D spends on T1D research, the organization helps attract others who directly spend 2.5 times that amount. You can learn more about our impact here.
- Breakthrough T1D is now funding over 70 clinical trials—treatments with real potential to improve lives.
- The Breakthrough T1D T1D Fund has now made investments in 10 companies. While the Fund is still fairly new, it has already jump-started many promising commercial developments and inspired others to invest more in T1D treatments.
- During One Conference, our volunteers and staff marched on Capitol Hill, where over 300 meetings with Senate and House members and staffers were held. During these meetings, we were able to tell the Breakthrough T1D story, thank Congress for the two-year renewal of the Special Diabetes Program, and ask for a few important T1D-related items.
These T1D issues included:
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- Continued funding of the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the highest levels,
- Signing a letter asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to have Medicare and Medicaid cover artificial pancreas systems,
- Asking Congress to work to lower healthcare costs (particularly the cost of insulin for people with T1D), and
- Ensuring the laws continue to require insurance coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
You can learn more about Breakthrough T1D advocacy here.
- There were a number of breakout sessions and trainings to help provide our volunteer/staff team with the knowledge and skills to be able elevate our impact on the Breakthrough T1D mission back home. You can learn about volunteering for your South Jersey Chapter here.
- Finally, we celebrated great progress with our Breakthrough T1D sister chapters from across the country. Volunteers and chapters were specifically recognized for their extraordinary contributions to our shared mission.
It was a positive and productive three days, sharing diverse ideas and experiences. We celebrated a year of strong growth—not just in fundraising but in the investment in our mission. We came away with an even greater appreciation of Breakthrough T1D’s clear vision and plan for a world without T1D—and a sense of the strong and positive momentum that is pushing us toward that goal.
Thank you for your passion and commitment to the mission, and thank you for your tireless devotion to making our dream a reality!
Sincerely,
Tom Deeney Nanette Gerst
Board President Executive Director
South Jersey Chapter South Jersey Chapter