Tacy Surrett and Carlos Davis represented Maryland at the 2013 Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress where 160 kids from across the US traveled to The Hill to talk to their Congressmen about living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and the significance of the Special Diabetes Program.

Tacy, who loves Irish step dancing, acting, and swimming, was diagnosed at age 7.  Now 13, Tacy has organized Breakthrough T1D Walks around the world, from England to Germany, and will be relocating to Turkey with her family soon.  She passes along her message of gratitude to friends she’s made along the way.  She remembers once injecting herself in front of a friend who started crying, worried that Tacy was in pain. “I put my hands on her shoulders, looked her in the eyes and said, ‘I am so lucky and happy that I am able to be alive. The pain isn’t much compared to the joy of being able to talk to you today.’”  Tacy says she “cannot pick a favorite part of the experience” because she loved it all and encourages others to apply for the 2015 Children’s Congress cycle.

A four-time National Junior Olympian in track and field and accomplished public speaker, Carlos was diagnosed with T1D at age 11, but he hasn’t allowed T1D to hold him back.   Now 14, Carlos says, “For me, every breath, every smile, every time I hold open a door, every time I sprint, every hurdle—those times are just as important to me as every carb I consume and every unit of insulin I receive.”  Carlos had also had a tremendous experience representing the T1D community at Children’s Congress.

Among other celebrities including Crystal Bowersox and Ray Allen, Tacy and Carlos had the opportunity to meet Vice President Joe Biden!