As the final days of this remarkable year unfold, we pause to reflect on the extraordinary strides we’ve made together. This year has been nothing short of inspiring, and it’s all thanks to you—our passionate and dedicated community. Your unwavering support and generosity have propelled us forward, turning bold ideas into groundbreaking progress for everyone impacted by type 1 diabetes (T1D). With heartfelt gratitude, we celebrate the collective power of your passion, innovation, and commitment. Here’s to the milestones we’ve achieved and the hope you inspire every day. THANK YOU for being the driving force behind our mission!
Reaching the T1D community.
Offering newly diagnosed families and individuals care kits that include useful resources and educational materials to help with their T1D journey, the Bag of Hope is for children under age 11; the Teen Pack is for youth ages 12-17; and the Adult Pack is for those age 18 and older. In 2025, the chapter delivered a total of 627 newly diagnosed care kits to families and individuals in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Throughout the year, Amanda Gilchrist, Carrie Khouri, and Kristin Neff, our Clinical Trial Education Volunteers, worked closely with clinical trial teams across Greater New England to stay informed about new trials. In addition, they collaborated with the Breakthrough T1D Community Screening and Clinical Trial Education team. They joined us at many events throughout the year to help raise awareness and support the T1D community.
Our Chats from Home program—informal virtual gatherings for individuals and families in Greater New England—continued this year. These meetings are organized by age level for parents and caregivers to connect with others in a similar stage. There is also a group for adults living with T1D! While some participants are only a few weeks into their T1D journey, others have several decades of experience. We are grateful to all our participants who have joined us so far for their willingness to share their stories and offer support to their community. Thank you to our volunteers, Melissa Colton, Noah Gardner, Amanda Gilchrist, Darcie Pervier, and Cathy Walter, for hosting our monthly Chats.
Thank you to Brian Colton and Amanda Gilchrist for organizing an informative session this spring for school health teams featuring Molly Colvin, Ph.D., ABPP, Developmental Neuropsychologist, Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, along with Emi Larsen White, RN, BSN, Director of Health Services at Belmont Hill School. Dr. Colvin and Emi discussed the cognitive, emotional, and social factors crucial in caring for children with T1D. We encourage you to share our webinar recordings with school nurses in your community and other members of the school health team, including principals, guidance counselors, coaches, psychologists, and social workers. Learn more at breakthrought1d.org/greaternewengland/p/virtual-education-series.
Events throughout the year.
In March, at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, we hosted our annual Community Summit Boston for more than 550 attendees from across Greater New England. Our Keynote session was presented by Madison Carter, Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist, living with T1D, and Princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar, daughter of the House of Mewar, Founder of Friends of Mewar, living with T1D. This conversational interview was an inspiring start to the day.
Other educational sessions included, “Aging with T1D”, “Beyond the Blood Sugar: Fostering Mental and Emotional Well-being with Diabetes”, “Caring for Children and Teens with Type 1 Diabetes in School: Building Relationships to Promote Healthy Growth and Development”, “Clinical Trials and Early Detection: Unlocking the Future of T1D”, “Diabetes: A Tech Talk”, “Diabetes Preparedness: Ready for Anything”, “Enchanting Nutrition: A Wizard’s Guide to Managing Diabetes “, and “Taking T1D Away from Home”. Thank you to our speakers, volunteers, sponsors, and attendees who joined us at the event!
- Save the date for next year’s Summit on Saturday, March 14 in Boston, MA at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.
Later that spring, we hosted two additional Community Summits in Manchester and Providence. These meaningful days of connection, learning, and community also featured powerful messages from community members, important research updates, as well as practical guidance and support for managing T1D across different life stages. A very special thank you to Dean Kamen, Maureen Toohey, and the team at the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) for graciously hosting us in their space in Manchester.
On Saturday, April 5, more than 550 guests and volunteers joined us at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport for the 43rd Annual Greater New England Gala—One Night. This exceptional evening celebrated the collective efforts of the T1D community to raise more than $2 million for T1D research! The energy and enthusiasm felt throughout the night was palpable and we are so grateful to all of our incredible sponsors, families, and friends of Breakthrough T1D, for their generosity.
Hosted by our emcees, Rachel Keller and Mark Ockerbloom of Boston 25 News, we kicked off the evening by sharing the work of one of our partners, ARMI. ARMI is developing the capability to scale the manufacture of insulin-producing beta cells, which is one of the three primary goals that we are striving to achieve through Breakthrough T1D’s Cell Therapies Program. To learn more about Project Accelerate Cell Therapies (ACT), visit breakthrought1d.org/project-act.
We were thrilled to recognize this year’s Honorees, Stefany Shaheen and Family. Stefany is an advocate, entrepreneur, and business leader who has dedicated herself to making life better for people with diabetes following the T1D diagnosis of her eldest daughter, Elle. The Shaheen’s family story is a story that reflects the goals and mission of this chapter. The family has chosen to empower themselves and others through their advocacy efforts, both at the local and national levels, helping us drive toward cures. The Shaheens exemplify dedication in all they do, and their multigenerational passion for our shared mission is an inspiration. We invite you to view their video and to share their message broadly: bit.ly/BreakthroughT1DGalaHonorees2025.
One of the most powerful aspects of the Gala each year takes place during this special portion of the evening. We are truly grateful to Stefany and her family for sharing their story, and for motivating generosity and hope. You may view Stefany and Elle’s heartfelt speeches by visiting bit.ly/BT1DGalaFACSpeeches2025.
The evening would not have been possible without the amazing support of our Breakthrough T1D partners. We are grateful to our corporate sponsors for their consistent and generous support of Breakthrough T1D. We offer a very special thanks to our extraordinary One Night Gala Committee led by Gala Chair, Crista Bode; Corporate Development Committee co-chaired by Liz Chang and Corey Rosenfield; and Greater New England Community Board under the leadership of Community Board President, Jaleen Siekman, for their tireless efforts, endless creativity, and unwavering dedication to making the evening both memorable and impactful. We extend gratitude to Brian Smith and his team for producing the evening’s inspiring videos and for always bringing unparalleled talent and passion to the program! We would also like to recognize Kevin Trimmer Photography for beautifully capturing the special moments throughout the night, which may be viewed by visiting kevintrimmerphoto.instaproofs.com/Breakthrough-T1D-Gala-2025. Lastly, thank you to the event volunteers who assisted the Breakthrough T1D Greater New England staff and Gala Committee leading up to, during, and following the event. We are truly appreciative of everyone who provided time, talent, treasure, and ties to ensure this year’s Gala was a success!
We are excited to announce that we will be honoring Kimberly and Colin Motley at the 44th Annual Breakthrough T1D Boston Gala—One Night on Saturday, April 11 at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. To purchase tickets, support Fund A Cure, become a corporate sponsor, or learn more, please visit bit.ly/onenightgala2026.
The Breakthrough T1D Greater New England Chapter is proud to have been an official member of the 2025 Bank of America Boston Marathon® Official Charity Program. The 129th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America was held on April 21. Special thanks and congratulations to the nine Breakthrough T1D runners who raised more than $93,000 to support our mission!
- Brennan Clark
- Brittany Gaulin
- Erin Helbling
- Andrew Kebalka
- Tiffany McMillan
- Jonathan Pivor
- Cassady Roberts
- David Streib
- Lindsay Woodruff
We also extend our deepest appreciation to our longtime volunteer coaches, Mary Tolland and Neil Wallack, for imparting their wisdom and experience, and supporting our runners through every step as they trained for the 26.2-mile course.
Breakthrough T1D kicked off the summer on Capitol Hill from July 7-9 for the Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress where delegates met in Washington, D.C. for three days of community building, advocating for the T1D community, and cultivating the next generation of grassroots leaders. Out of delegates from every state and our international affiliates, we were lucky to have ten amazing young leaders represent us locally. Thank you, Caroline Cardoza (ME), Madeline DiBenedetto (RI), Portia Joy (NH), Ibrahim Moge (VT), Alishbah Nabukenya (VT), Aaron Prager (MA), Cameron Power (MA), Stefanos Theodorakos (MA), Rachel White (NH), and Ruby Whitmore (ME) for testifying, sharing your stories, meeting with Congress and the FDA to raise awareness and build support for issues critical to the T1D community!
On the last day of Children’s Congress, Breakthrough T1D, in partnership with Mattel, unveiled the first-ever Barbie® with type 1 diabetes. This global collaboration will drive breakthroughs, big and small, shaping a world where people with T1D are seen, heard, and empowered. From her CGM and insulin pump to her supply purse and blue polka dot outfit (a nod to diabetes awareness), Barbie is showing the world that people with T1D can be anything! To learn more, visit breakthroughT1D.org/Barbie.
On Monday, July 14, more than 250 golfers, sponsors, and volunteers joined us for the 24th Annual Golf Classic and raised an outstanding $207,000! We are so grateful to all of our extraordinary sponsors, families, and friends of Breakthrough T1D for your generosity and ongoing commitment to our mission. It was incredible to see everyone out on the course, enjoying the sunshine, having a memorable and successful day at Quidnessett Country Club. Players enjoyed on-course games, raffles, and the silent auction. The event featured an exciting Meet or Beat the Marker, Hole-in-One contest, and various treats from our generous Snack Hole Sponsors.
We are so thankful for the ongoing commitment of our Presenting Sponsor, NEFCO Fire Investigations, and to all our incredible sponsors and in-kind supporters. We offer very special thanks to the extraordinary Tee Up to Cure Diabetes Golf Committee, led by Golf Chair, Chris Librizzi, Fund A Cure Speaker, Hannah Guevremont, Procurement Chair, Michelle LeBeau, our emcee for the evening, Nick Coit, and our amazing event volunteers. We are truly grateful for their support, energy, and time to ensure this year’s tournament was a huge success!
The summer continued with more fun as our largest team yet took on the 53rd Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race. Breakthrough T1D is proud to be an official partner of the Falmouth Road Race Numbers for Nonprofits program. Thank you to our 33 runners who raised more than $84,000 for our mission!
Top Three:
- Jaclyn Rosenfield
- Christina Wiseman and Jim Donnelly
- Bridget Robinson
August also hosted the 14th Annual SLAM T1D Summer Classic in Essex, VT. This annual Wiffleball weekend tournament brings teams from across the country to raise awareness and funds for T1D. We extend a big thank you to Elizabeth Waine, for pulling together and organizing Team Breakthrough T1D for an exhibition game against Sanofi at Little Fenway!
In September, Team Breakthrough T1D started their adventure for the 2025 Ragnar Reach the Beach Relay. We are grateful to Team Berkshire (formerly team Agony of Duhfeet) led by Liz Chang and Joe Wallace, and team Sistas with Blistas who joined us again this year. The teams began this grueling relay at Lancaster Fairgrounds on Friday, September 12 and finished the race at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire on Saturday, September 13. These teams not only collectively ran more than 800 miles but also raised more than $88,000 for T1D research.
From New Hampshire to Cape Cod the same weekend, the chapter welcomed 330 Riders from across the country to the brand-new Cape Cod destination Ride. The picturesque cycling event offered a blend of flat roads, ocean breezes, and iconic coastal vistas that made Cape Cod a cyclist’s paradise. As our largest local Ride, the Greater New England Team had 30 Riders raising more than $138,000 that weekend!
Our chapter team was also represented at the Breakthrough T1D Rides in La Crosse, WI from August 7-10; Santa Fe, NM from August 21-24; Coeur d’Alene, ID from September 25-28; and Amelia Island, FL from December 4-7. We also had several riders take advantage of Breakthrough T1D My Ride, where they participated anytime, anywhere.
To date, our 49 riders have raised more than $209,000 (and counting)! Thank you to our Top Five Riders. (Note: funds raised as of 11/12/25.)
- Adrian Gonzalez | Logistics Leaders for T1D Cure
- Scott Kasper
- Leslie Gonzalez | Logistics Leaders for T1D Cure
- Micah Waldman
- Brenda Morris
Many thanks to our coaches Doug Cornelius, Don Cummings, Frank Dougherty, Scott Kasper, and Cathy Ryan for their continued dedication and commitment to the Ride program!
As summer turned to fall the Greater New England Chapter geared up for the annual Breakthrough T1D Walks in Boston, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. This year was an incredible success, as thousands of supporters and hundreds of volunteers came together as a community to celebrate, connect, and inspire hope. Across Greater New England we saw more than 11,500 walkers lace up their sneakers to support Breakthrough T1D’s mission! A big thank you to this year’s Presenting Sponsors, Novo Nordisk in Boston and Sequel Med Tech in New Hampshire. Lastly, thank you to all of our fundraisers, especially our Top Five Teams, who have raised more than $962,000. (Note: totals pulled 11/12/25.)
Boston:
- Val’s Diabetes Defeaters
- ANNA’S ALL-STARS
- Jacob’s Jumping Frogs
- Team Jada
- Siek-ing a Cure
Maine:
- Tim1Dom
- Color Me Cured
- Owen’s Army
- T1G
- Team Pheonix
New Hampshire:
- Diabesties
- Team Mila
- Sugah Maddie
- Osborne-Sullivan United
- No Days Off!
Rhode Island:
- Mady’s Mad-Dogs
- Camp Surefire
- Brae Brae’s bae-baes
- Lenny’s Diabuddies
- Christopher’s Diabesties
There is more work to do to reach our overall Walk goal of $1,106,102. Our four Walk sites are open through December 31 and funds can be credited to the 2025 Walks through June 30. Even though the Walk is over, breakthroughs are still needed, and our teams and donors can continue to make a difference.
Our deepest thanks to our Walk Committee members, Crista Bode, David and Paula Boulanger, Jeff Cardoza, Brian Colton, Jason and Stacey Gay, Nicole McIntyre, Amanda Perry, Jonathan Pivor, Mike Ravid, Joe Sgammato, Joslyn St. Onge, Lysette Sola, Heather Wild, led by Walk Champion Noah Gardner, for your steadfast dedication and passion for Walk!
This year was filled with countless moments where the Greater New England community came together in extraordinary ways. In February, Breakthrough T1D partnered with Maine P-PODs for their Type 1 Diabetes Summit where families networked with others in the community including vendors and providers, listened to great guest speakers, and participated in a Q&A session. We also partnered with Camp Surefire and Rock Type 1 to provide Rock Climbing After Dark, a networking and community night in Rhode Island. September brought another highlight as Breakthrough T1D was honored with the Red Sox IMPACT Award for Maine, recognizing our efforts in research, advocacy, and services to the T1D community. None of this would have been possible without our incredible volunteers who launched their own unique and impactful fundraising campaigns and events like school dress down days, benefit concerts, athletic event fundraisers, polar plunges and fundraising events to honor special occasions and milestones. The ingenuity and passion of our supporters shone brightly! We extend special thanks to Bill Matthews, whose Cranberry Cup Hockey Tournament has supported Breakthrough T1D since 2011. Families also Dined for Diabetes, enjoying a night off from cooking while making a difference. Others rallied at our Changemaker Celebrations and our Pack the Park night at Fenway or found community at adult and teen meet ups, ice skating days, craft fairs, and more. Every event reflected the spirit of togetherness and commitment to our mission.
Lastly, thank you to all of our volunteers for their endless contributions over the year. From attending school nurse conferences, connecting with newly diagnosed families seeking a mentor, to sharing your stories as our Cure Champions every month, to stewarding our corporate partners like Marshalls who has partnered with Breakthrough T1D since 1994, to articulating the financial, medical, and emotional costs of the disease with members of Congress during Government Day. You are a critical part of the strength of this community and help us make progress towards cures. We’re so grateful to have your incredibly generous support; we couldn’t do any of this without you.
See T1D. See Me.
National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM) kicked off with our Speaker Series, a community reception and research briefing featuring and Nicholas Mamrak, Ph.D., a scientist on the Breakthrough T1D Cures team. Dr. Mamrak gave an insightful presentation on the exciting research being done in the cell therapy space, highlighting the different ways Breakthrough T1D is investing in cell therapies through our initiative Project ACT, numerous examples of ongoing studies and clinical trials that are showing promising results, and information about how Breakthrough T1D is not only working to find cures, but is also working with regulatory bodies and clinicians to build the infrastructure necessary to get these future cures to patients when they become available. A special thank you to Colin Motley and Bain Capital for being our gracious hosts.
On World Diabetes Day, November 14, communities across the globe illuminated major landmarks in blue to raise awareness for type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Thank you to all the local landmarks across the Greater New England area that were lit blue: Memorial Bridge (Portsmouth, NH/Kittery, ME), Boston City Hall, Boston Harbor Hotel, UMASS Boston Integrated Science Complex, Westfield City Hall (Westfield, MA), Patriots Place (Foxboro, MA), Veterans Memorial Auditorium (Providence, RI), Moran Frame (Burlington, VT) and the Rhode Island State House. Special thanks to our local community for visiting the landmarks and sharing photos with our chapter!
We were thrilled to continue our partnership with the Rhode Island World Diabetes Day committee in 2025! This year’s festivities, hosted by the Rhode Island Department of Health on Thursday, November 13, featured a morning filled with enlightening and motivational presentations, interactive discussions, and allowed Rhode Islanders living with both type 1 and type 2 to connect with peers and professional organizations, including Breakthrough T1D!
This year, because of you…
- Two new trials are testing baricitinib, a potential breakthrough therapy that could delay or slow the progression of T1D, moving us closer to changing the course of the disease, not just managing it.
- Tzield received a priority review voucher from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could accelerate its approval for Stage 3 T1D. Putting us one step closer to a therapy that addresses the disease (not just symptoms) and giving hope to people who currently have limited options.
- Researchers have successfully transplanted genetically engineered “hypoimmune” islets that produce insulin and evade immune destruction, without requiring immunosuppression, marking a major step toward a potential cure for T1D.
- Finerenone significantly cut a key marker of kidney damage (UACR) in people with T1D and chronic kidney disease, potentially slowing disease progression and offering the first major treatment advance for T1D-related kidney disease in decades.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a New Year filled with hope, health, and happiness.
From all of us at Breakthrough T1D Greater New England, thank you for another unforgettable year!
P.S. If Breakthrough T1D is part of your year-end giving plans, gifts can be made online at BreakthroughT1D.org/donate or postmarked by December 31, 2025 and sent to Breakthrough T1D Greater New England, PO Box 5009, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5009.
The Breakthrough T1D Greater New England office will be closed for Winter Break beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24 and will reopen on Friday, January 2.
Thank you to our Newly Diagnosed Care Kit Distributors:
Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Elliot Hospital
Mass General Brigham Wentworth–Douglass Hospital
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
UMass Memorial Health Diabetes Clinic
And a special thanks to our Newly Diagnosed Care Kit Referral Partners. We are grateful for your support in sharing these resources with your patients.