Fund A Cure with The Norsworthy Family | Breakthrough T1D Kansas City Gala 2026

Meet the Norsworthy Family

Our whole life was turned upside down when our daughter, Harlow, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.  

Before we dive into her story, let me tell you a little background of how our lives started. Shortly after we got married, we decided we wanted to grow our family. Connor’s side of the family is notorious for only having boys, so when we got pregnant, we just assumed we were having a boy. We wanted to wait until delivery to know for sure. In life, we don’t get many miracles, but we were blessed with one, a little baby girl on August 13th, 2021. She was absolutely perfect!  

As life is always filled with highs and lows, we hit a speed bump a short two years later when Harlow started getting sick. We took her to the doctor numerous times and were always sent home saying it was probably a virus, it’s “that time of year” and it should go away soon. Although she was freshly potty trained, Harlow started wetting the bed. She began asking us numerous times a day to fill up her princess water bottle. She wasn’t losing weight, but wasn’t gaining it either, like a growing child should be. She didn’t want to play with her brother anymore, and she was exhausted in minutes. We knew something wasn’t right. 

After researching, we took her back to the doctor and had them do more tests. I’ll never forget the nurse’s face when she came back into that room. She looked like she had seen a ghost and I immediately knew something wasn’t right. We went straight to Children’s Mercy. When we got there, we were filled with emotions and soon learned our lives were going to be changed forever. Blood sugars of 863, DKA, and doctors shocked she wasn’t unconscious. It was a whirlwind of a night to say the least. 

These last two years have been filled with many of the hardships of this disease. We know T1D doesn’t define her, but she will have challenges ahead. Being a smart little girl is a blessing, it also comes with her asking us, “Why do I have to have diabetes?” and “Can you take away my diabetes?” There are days where I constantly watch her phone while she goes out to play with friends, trying to just be a normal kid paired with nights of staying wide awake worrying. Every night is a battle to balance hormones, emotions, and everything in between. 

Now that you know a little bit of our story, I want to share why we sought out our second family, Breakthrough T1D. This organization is a lifeline for us, the second miracle in our journey. An organization that is laser focused on breakthrough research, advocacy and support for families like ours. An organization that gives us hope. 

When you make a gift to Fund A Cure, YOU are funding research that changes lives. For millions of people like Harlow, you are providing comfort and stability, blissfully deep sleep, and ultimately independence from medical devices. You have a chance to give us change, give our daughter back her childhood, and that means everything. It is our hope that you join our mission, our fight, and our freedom from this disease. Together we are strong, we are unstoppable and can conquer anything. 

Thank you for your donation, thank you for changing lives of those with T1D for the better, and thank you for making our third miracle in our lives come true—a world without T1D. You can give us what this nation promised in the beginning: undeniable and unforgettable freedom. Thank you for your support as you join our fight to make T1D a disease of the past! 

With heartfelt gratitude, 

Shelby Norsworthy, On behalf of Harlow and our family  

2026 Breakthrough T1D Fund A Cure Family