By Delilah Brien

When I was five, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes out of the blue. It was a shock to our family but we all found comfort and strength by being involved with Breakthrough T1D.

In 2012, my mom was asked to be the speaker at a new event called Breakthrough T1D Catwalk. She really loved the event and became a co-chair, and the next year I got involved too. That’s where I met Isabelle and Ryan. All three of us were diagnosed with type one when we were really young and all of our parents were involved with Breakthrough T1D. We became “ambassadors” of Breakthrough T1D Catwalk and have been a part of the event for 7 years.

Breakthrough T1D Catwalk is an amazing afternoon of friends, fashion, and fun. Over the years we have raised more than $800,000 for research to fund a cure for type 1 diabetes. We are all really proud of that. There is an “It Bag” raffle (I haven’t won a bag…yet!), a fashion show, and speakers who keep us updated on the progress Breakthrough T1D is making. It’s one of my favorite days of the year and the support of our friends and family has been incredible. So many people come year after year and support us and that means the world to us. And it makes a difference for all people who suffer from type 1 diabetes.

When Isabelle, Ryan and I first got involved with the event, we were just little girls and we modeled clothes from a children’s store. Now that we are all teenagers, we experience our condition in different ways. The responsibility to take care of ourselves falls on us and it’s difficult for us and our parents. It’s not easy experiencing the demands of a busy life in high school and trying to balance high and low blood sugars, insulin pump technologies, and the inevitable mistakes we all make. We work hard to stay healthy, but type 1 diabetes is a horrible burden that makes the most simple things difficult. We stay involved with Breakthrough T1D because we all believe that there is a cure in our future and we do our part to help make it a reality.

To everyone who has come to Catwalk, thank you! And if you haven’t been to this event, I strongly encourage you to attend this year! It takes place on March 7 at The Loading Dock in Stamford, CT, from 11-1:30. It’s a positive, energizing experience and we all hope to see you there!