My son, Zachary, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in February, 2002 when he was just 13 months old.  Breakthrough T1D has felt like part of our family ever since. Now, 12, Zachary is a healthy young athlete and we are very grateful that Zachary has grown up in an age of ground breaking medical advances which have helped him stay so healthy over the years.

Our family was first introduced to Breakthrough T1D just after Zachary was diagnosed, when a Bag of Hope was delivered to our house. We immediately got involved with Breakthrough T1D through the local DC office, and have helped and volunteered in many ways ever since.

For the last three years, we have been honored that Zachary’s younger brother, Nathan,  recruited his school, Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences located in Falls Church, Virginia, to participate in an annual Breakthrough T1D Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes. This event is combined with Bailey’s Field Day to create what is known as the “Breakthrough T1D Fitness for a Cure Field Day”.

We had an amazingly successful year. The Bailey’s students and faculty raised $9,435 for Breakthrough T1D. Bailey’s Elementary staff and faculty taught students about Type 1 Diabetes – what it is, the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the importance of healthy living, and what students can do to help kids with type 1 diabetes.

At the field day students participated in a Breakthrough T1D station where they practiced their diabetes knowledge in a unique relay race created by the Bailey’s Physical Education staff. Students celebrated their fundraising efforts that are going directly to Breakthrough T1D to help find a cure for diabetes. It was inspiring to see so many children, so knowledgeable about Breakthrough T1D and diabetes, and it was very exciting to be a part of this wonderful event!

For Zach’s sake and every child living with type 1 diabetes, we are so very grateful and very excited to continue working with Bailey’s Elementary School and Breakthrough T1D to ensure students continue to learn about type 1 diabetes and Breakthrough T1D while raising money to find a cure for diabetes.

The Breakthrough T1D Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Chapter would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Bailey’s Elementary School and the Hershey Family for their amazing and continual support of Breakthrough T1D’s mission. We are truly inspired by the Hershey family and cannot thank them enough for all the support they provide our Chapter and Breakthrough T1D.