FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Libby Cerce, 202-465-4122; ecerce@BreakthroughT1D.org                     

  Serena Houle, 443-792-4229; shoule@BreakthroughT1D.org

More Than 3,500 Expected at June 1 Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes

―With the help of Walgreens and Kings Dominion, Breakthrough T1D’s local chapter aims to raise $1.7 million for critically needed type 1 diabetes research ―

Washington, DC, May 13, 2014 ―“I am honored and excited to be Breakthrough T1D’s DC Walk Chair and to raise funds with our family’s walk team, Morgan on the Move,” says Bowie, MD resident, Priscilla Harvey.   Harvey’s 4 year-old daughter, Morgan, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of 1.  “The walk on the National Mall is always fun and we know that each step we take brings us closer to finding a cure for Morgan as well as other children and adults living with T1D.”

More than 3,500 walkers representing local businesses, families, schools, and other organizations will participate in the Breakthrough T1D Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Chapter’s annual Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes, on Sunday, June 1.  This year’s fundraising goal of more than $1.7 million for the Chapter’s three walks—DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia— will help fund critically needed research to help more than 60,000 children and adults in this region living with T1D.  Participants will enjoy a pre-walk warm-up and post-walk celebration featuring family and kids’ activities, and the opportunity to meet others living with T1D.   Anyone planning to participate in the Walk should register ahead of time at walk.jdrf.org. 

“Thanks to the incredible supporters of the Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes in the Washington, DC area and sponsors like Walgreens and Kings Dominion, Breakthrough T1D is able to direct even more funding toward important T1D research for the 60,000 people with this serious disease in our area,” said Piper Dankworth Sutton, Executive Director. “Together, we will turn Type One into Type None.”

Breakthrough T1D hosts 200 walks each year in the United States and dozens more internationally. Almost one million people participate each year. Since 1992, the Breakthrough T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes has raised more than $1 billion for research to help treat and eventually cure the disease.

Breakthrough T1D gratefully acknowledges our corporate Walk partners: Moe’s Southwest Grill, National Postal Mail Handlers Union, Kings Dominion, Rosedale Federal, Network Building + Consulting and The Meltzer Group.   Special thanks also to National Presenting Co-Sponsors of the 2014 Walk to Cure Diabetes Medtronic and Lilly Diabetes and our national corporate partners, particularly our Elite Partners: Advance Auto Parts, Ford Motor Company, Marshalls, and Walgreens. 

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About Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that impacts millions of people around the world. The disease occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone essential to turning food into energy. Without insulin, glucose from food stays in the blood, where it can cause serious damage to all of the body’s organ systems. T1D strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet or lifestyle. It requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing, and lifelong dependence on injected insulin. With T1D there are no days off, and there is no cure.  For more information, visit jdrf.org.

About Breakthrough T1D

Breakthrough T1D is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Breakthrough T1D’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. Breakthrough T1D collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, Breakthrough T1D is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. For more information, please visit jdrf.org.