Meet Our Falmouth Road Race Team!

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Meet our 2024 ASICS Falmouth Road Race Team and help us cheer them on as they lace up their sneakers on Sunday, August 18 and run towards creating a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D). Learn more about some of the members of Team Breakthrough T1D below!

Breakthrough T1D is proud to be an official partner of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race Numbers for Nonprofits program. The Numbers for Nonprofits Program is presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund. 

Bridget Robinson | Charlestown, MA
Hometown: Framingham, MA 

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D: I am a type 1 diabetic. I was diagnosed at age 27 (They thought I had type 2 but found out I am type 1 onset.) This will be my second time running the Falmouth Road Race with Breakthrough T1D/JDRF. I am so excited to be a part of the team raising money for a cure! I am looking forward to another awesome race day in Falmouth! 

 

Brae Eddleston | Oak Bluffs, MA 

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D:  I was diagnosed in 1992 with T1D, and this is my second year running the Falmouth Road Race for (now) Breakthrough T1D 
  • What got you into running:  Mostly the shoes 
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race:  The hot dog tent 
  • Would you like to share a motivational or inspirational message or quote?:  “ABC, always be cool” -my dad 

“Choosing Breakthrough was an easy decision, as a person who has been a T1D for over 30 years, I appreciate the work and attention that Breakthrough gives to not only T1D’s, but also to their loved ones. I know the resources will be greatly utilized. “ 

Carolynne Benedetto | Medway, MA 

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D: my daughter, Rosie, was diagnosed with T1D when she was 9 years old. She is 17 now and a senior in high school 
  • What got you into running: I’ve always run a little bit but started running races in my 30s. This will be my seventh Falmouth Road Race 
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race: I am looking forward to running the race with my son and seeing my daughter and husband cheering for us along the way.

Christine Suffredini 

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D: My connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D comes from my husband and oldest son, Niko, having T1D. Both were diagnosed at age 3 which as many people know is an age filled with its own challenges even without an autoimmune disorder in the picture. I’m thankful  my son and husband are able to benefit from the advancements made in research related to diabetic care. Therefore, my goal is to raise money to work towards a time when diabetes is even easier to manage and possibly cured.   
  • What got your into running: I started running in high school when I did soccer and track. Then I continued with those sports all through college. It’s always been a good way for me to manage my stress and after the college sports I continued to run and find it to be beneficial in that way. Now as a nurse and mom it still seems to be a favorite activity and stress reducer 🙂 
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race: I’m most looking forward to connecting with other team members at the race and putting a positive spin on diabetes for my 4-year-old. He’s still learning how to process all of this (as are we) and so by making a family trip out of this it has turned into something happy related to diabetes. 
  • Would you like to share a motivational or inspirational message or quote?: My favorite quote which may not sound motivational but has been for me is “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself.” With my son getting diagnosed so young, just two months after having my second child, I thought I would break. But my father had always repeated that to me when I was younger and felt scared. I have had to repeat this to myself often and thankfully have been able to have brighter days as a result of it. 

Danielle McLeod | Dunstable, MA 

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D:  My daughter, Mila (age 6),was diagnosed with T1D this past January. Mila’s courage and positivity through this challenge have been nothing short of inspiring, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. 
  • What got you into running:  I have been running almost my whole life! I got into running half and full marathons in college, after team sports came to an end. This will be my fifth time running Falmouth! 
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race:  Seeing my daughters at the finish line. 

Courtney Morris | Milton, MA
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D:  T1D Mama to my 3 year old son, Zayn 
  • What got you into running:  The beautiful lake and riverside trails of my hometown, Minneapolis, MN!  
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race:  Showing my son he can do anything he sets his mind to and bringing awareness to the strength and resilience of the T1D Community. 
  • Would you like to share a motivational or inspirational message or quote?:  “Insulin doesn’t belong to me; it belongs to the world.” – Frederick Banting  

“I think about Banting’s generosity of spirit daily, and it is a gift to be in a position to carry on this spirit and serve the T1D community in even the smallest way.”

Callie Smith | Duxbury, MA
Hometown: Nashua, NH

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D: My 4-year-old son Wally has T1D, so I got involved right after his diagnosis (Oct 2023)
  • What got you into running: I started running for my elementary school (Infant Jesus) in my hometown of Nashua, NH. I made our local Police Athletic League (PAL) team, and I was hooked! Our PAL team ran a few times at the USATF Junior Olympics. After college (where I played D3 basketball), I taught Latin at prep schools where I also got into coaching track and field. I kept busy running and playing any and all sports with my colleagues until I started my family. After my older son was diagnosed this past fall with T1D, I knew I wanted to get back into running so that I could raise money to find a cure for my son! It’s been cathartic and humbling to train for Falmouth with my son and all of my T1D warriors on my mind. I could not be more proud to run for BreakthroughT1D!
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race: I hear that the crowds are amazing! I can’t wait to see other T1D families—especially my own—cheering along the course! I’m not looking forward to the hills and potential heat, but I know that running for Breakthrough T1D and thinking of my son Wally will help power me through it!
  • Would you like to share a motivational or inspirational message or quote?: A friend once told me years ago to think “glide, glide, glide…” on the hills…it’s not super inspirational, but definitely helps me to get up those hills! 🙂

Kerianne Barry | Wilmington, MA
Hometown: Northern NY

  • What is your connection to Breakthrough T1D and T1D: Thinking back to the day that Kiera was diagnosed. I knew it was diabetes. I thought of my grandfather growing up; the finger pricking, the little machine, the test strip, showing me how to do it on myself, the little burst of pain, the drop of blood… he would follow up with a shot in his leg or arm, his thin skin showing bruises from previous shots. I know this disease is genetic, and think of future generations and the work that still needs to be done to eliminate this disease. When we got to the hospital, there was so much to learn. I was a math major, but the calculations were overwhelming, and my child’s life depended on them! Then came the support of friends, family, teachers, school nurses, all of those at my new job at Austin Prep School. It’s amazing how people pull together to help out when life gets overwhelming. I pored through all of the information on the Breakthrough T1D website, signed us up for Rufus the Bear with Diabetes to help educate our whole family. The advancements that I’ve experienced in the technology even in just four years is amazing. I fully support all that Breakthrough T1D does to move towards a world without T1D. I don’t know if I will see it in my time, but hopefully in Kiera‘s.
  • What got you into running: I played team sports growing up, and running was a huge part of that. When I got older, I kept it up. I found comfort in the act of moving my body. Eventually I moved from the treadmill to the road and haven’t looked back. It’s my favorite way to discover new places and orienting myself when traveling.
  • What you are most looking forward to at the Falmouth Road Race: I love the crowds, being surprised when you see a familiar face you didn’t know would be there. The sprays of hoses, the camaraderie with fellow runners, the encouragement in that final mile, especially the hairpin turn at the end when you need it most!

If you are interested in running a local event for Team Breakthrough T1D please reach out to Andrea Herrmann at aherrmann@breakthrought1d.org.