Breakthrough T1D Greater Orange County July Newsletter

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A monthly guide to what’s happening in your Breakthrough T1D Community

Thank You for Supporting the Fore the Kids Golf Classic

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the “Fore the Kids Golf Classic” on Monday, June 15!

The Fore the Kids Golf Classic returned to Monarch Beach Golf Links for an unforgettable day of golf, community, and philanthropy, raising more than $245,000 (and counting!) to support Breakthrough T1D’s mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs for those living with type 1 diabetes.

Golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters came together for a sold-out tournament featuring exciting on-course activations, a lively silent and live auction, Fund A Cure, and a post-golf reception overlooking the beautiful Monarch Beach Golf Links.

Guests enjoyed a variety of premium experiences throughout the day thanks to our incredible On-Course sponsors, including Breville, Brewery X, El Pollo Loco, Handel’s Ice Cream, LAVA Cocktails, Liquid Death, Melin, Newport Rib Company, The Parlor at Stafford Prime, Taber Food Truck, Voice Caddie, and Willow Labs. A special thank you to our Event Chairs, Torrey DiRoberto and Jenny Rodriguez, whose leadership and dedication helped make this year’s event a tremendous success. We are also excited to announce Matt Griffin as one of our new Chairs for the 2027 Fore the Kids Golf Classic.
Thank you again for supporting Breakthrough T1D and helping create a brighter future for everyone impacted by type 1 diabetes. We look forward to seeing you next year!

For sponsorship opportunities or to join the 2027 Golf Planning Committee, please contact Lauren Christ.

Walk or Ride With Us for T1D Cures

Join us for a Breakthrough T1D Walk in your community, where every step drives research, advocacy, and support to improve lives as we advance toward cures. These fun, family-friendly events welcome participants of all ages and abilities to raise T1D awareness and move us closer to a world without T1D.

Registration is now open for Breakthrough T1D Walk, Orange County!

We are kicking off Walk season at the Breakthrough T1D Walk, Orange County Hype Party! Join us to learn more and get excited for the Walk in November.

Register your team for the main event today to join us for an inspiring day of community and raising funds for breakthroughs in T1D research:

When: Sunday, November 8, 2026Attendees of Breakthrough T1D Walk in Anaheim waiting at the starting arch to cut the Walk ribbon
Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim

We are also in the process of building local Walk Committees to assist with these events and we need you! Contact Lauren Christ for more information.

There is still time to join us for Breakthrough T1D Ride, where every pedal stroke powers research, advocacy, and support to improve lives until we find a cure! Breakthrough T1D Ride, 2026 will take place at 5 exciting locations throughout the country, or you can ride from anywhere with MyRide. Many Ride Packages are still available, so no matter if you plan to ride 1 mile or 100, claim your spot today!

Where will you ride? Register Today!

For questions or more information about Breakthrough T1D Endurance opportunities, contact Judy Parra.

Save the date

The 2027 Breakthrough T1D Orange County Gala will once again take place at the beautiful Balboa Bay Resort on Saturday, March 13! If you are interested in making an impact on our Gala Committee starting this fall, please reach out to Alex Hines.

Applications are Open for the 2026/27 School Year

The Breakthrough T1D Youth Ambassador Program is open to children and teens in Kindergarten through 12th grade who are living with T1D. The program provides opportunities to grow in advocacy, leadership, community involvement, and sharing their T1D story. Youth Ambassadors also build meaningful connections through shared experiences that foster friendship, support, and fun.

View this year’s application here for more information and to apply. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2026. We look forward to welcoming another incredible group of Youth Ambassadors this fall!

For more information, contact Laura Lara.

Mission Update

Breakthrough T1D was on site in New Orleans, LA from June 5-8 for the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 86th Scientific Sessions. Throughout the week, Breakthrough T1D staff and leadership were on-site hosting and participating in panel discussions, meeting with industry leaders, and engaging with researchers from around the world to accelerate T1D mission progress.

A few highlights included:

  • Sanjoy Dutta. Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, participated in a panel discussion about advancing manufactured islet cell therapies for widespread use. Top priorities for cell therapies include expanding clinical trials, manufacturing islets to make them affordable and accessible for all and finding ways to reduce or eliminate the need for immunosuppressants.
  • Kenneth Brayman, M.D., Ph.D., FACS (University of Virginia) presented two Breakthrough T1D-funded projects exploring potential disease-modifying therapies. One aims to retrain the immune system to protect insulin-producing beta cells, while the other could suppress autoimmunity and promote beta cell regeneration.
  • Piotr Witkowski, M.D. (University of Chicago) gave an update on the Breakthrough T1D-funded clinical trial for Eledon’s tegoprubart, an immune therapy being tested with donor-derived islet cell transplants. All 12 participants are off external insulin. They are not experiencing severe hypoglycemic events or unexpected adverse events, there are no signs of the body rejecting the transplanted cells, and there are no signs of kidney toxicity.

These are just three examples of many research breakthroughs across all our mission priority areas that were shared during this four-day conference. Throughout the week, Breakthrough T1D-funded research was front-and-center, showcasing the reach of our impact driven by supporters like you.

Learn more about all the exciting developments and key takeaways from the ADA Scientific Sessions.

Upcoming Chapter Events

  • Handel’s Ice Cream Social – Thursday, July 9 at 4 p.m. at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream in Temecula (41377 Margarita Road, Temecula, CA 92591). Stop by and 20% of total sales will support Breakthrough T1D.  Learn more here.
  • Breakfast with Rufus | Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m. – Come have breakfast with your local T1D community and our favorite bear with diabetes, Rufus. Learn more and RSVP here.

Virtual Events

Written by: rspidell