2022 Dream Gala Youth Ambassadors
in General
We are so excited to be back in person for the 2022 Breakthrough T1D Dream Gala! This year, we have 12 inspiring Youth Ambassadors who are dedicated to supporting Breakthrough T1D’s mission by sharing their stories of life with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to help others better understand the importance of raising funds for research through the Dream Gala.
We want to extend a huge thank you to our Youth Ambassador Spotlight Partner, the Rick & Cathy Baier Foundation! We are so grateful for their continued support and dedication to creating a world without T1D.
Now, let’s meet our 2022 Dream Gala Youth Ambassadors!
CJ
Meet CJ! CJ is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when he was 4 years old. In his free time, he loves doing ramps on his bike. CJ said a cure to diabetes would excite him because he could eat whatever he wanted without having to be dosed.
Meet Brooklyn! She is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 11 years old. In her free time, she loves to dance! Brooklyn enjoys being part of the Breakthrough T1D family because now she feels she’s no longer alone in this and that other people go through this too.
Meet Juliette! Juliette is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 12 years old. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and working out. Juliette says that the Breakthrough T1D family means so much to her and that this community made her realize she is not alone.
Meet Trisha! She is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 4 years old. Trisha loves to dance, draw, play video games and help train her new diabetic service dog. When asked what the Breakthrough T1D family meant to her, she said a sense of community and to know that there are people that share the same struggles.
Meet Natalie! Natalie is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 4 years old. She loves cheerleading, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her siblings. To Natalie, the Breakthrough T1D family means lifelong friends. To newly diagnosed friends and families, she can always say “You really need to be a part of Breakthrough T1D. They can help you in so many ways.”
Meet Angel! She is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 13 years old. In her free time, she loves painting, playing sports, doing makeup and cooking. To Angel, the Breakthrough T1D family feels like actual family. She said when Breakthrough T1D opened up their arms to her family, it made them feel safe, welcomed, not alone and comfortable.
Meet Alex! He is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when he was 12 years old. In his free time, he loves playing baseball. To Alex, the Breakthrough T1D family means security. He can feel safe knowing that there are people who have the same condition as him and have his back when situations may get tough.
Meet Wilbur! Wilbur is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when he was 14 months old. He loves building with LEGOs and playing outside with his neighbors. Wilbur said he loves his Breakthrough T1D family because it has helped him find a lot of friends who have Type 1 and he doesn’t feel as alone as he once did.
Meet Sophia! She is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 11 years old. In her free time, Sophia loves to dance at the Kansas City Ballet. Sophia says that a cure for T1D would be AWESOME. No more shots, no more waking up in the middle of the night for corrections and lows, no more glucometer checks, etc. A cure would be life changing for her and all other impacted by T1D.
Meet Tommy! Tommy is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when he was 9 years old. He loves all things sports! He said a cure to T1D would change his whole life because he would have so much more freedom and his parents would get way better sleep.
Meet Jill! She is a Kansas City Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 15 years old. She loves driving to farmland and watching the sunsets with her friends. To Jill, the Breakthrough T1D family means a community that knows what its like to live with T1D. The love and support that Jill feels from the Breakthrough T1D community is like nothing else she has felt before!
Meet Layla! She is a St. Louis Youth Ambassador and was diagnosed with T1D when she was 8 years old. Layla loves to play guitar, art and dancing competitively. To Layla, a cure to T1D means freedom to workout, freedom to sleep and freedom to go places without her thoughts being consumed with insulin, low snacks, and if she has enough of everything to leave the house.
