Fund A Cure with James Pierce | Breakthrough T1D Minneapolis Gala 2026

From Our First Walk to Today

Thank you so much for supporting Jamie and Breakthrough T1D over the years.

As many of you know, Jamie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 12. The photo above is from our first Breakthrough T1D Walk, the same year she was diagnosed. Looking at it now is a reminder of just how quickly time passes. Jamie is doing great and will graduate from UMD next May.

We are incredibly proud of her and grateful for how well she has learned to manage T1D as part of her life. But even when things are going well, there are still challenges.

This year, one of those challenges came from the healthcare system. When we switched health plans, the devices Jamie relies on to manage her diabetes were initially not covered. It took nearly six months of preauthorizations and appeals to finally restore the same coverage she had before we changed plans. For our family, it was frustrating. It was also a reminder of how much work still surrounds this disease beyond the daily task of managing blood sugar.

Through all of it, Steph and I remain deeply grateful for the support our family has received from so many of you since Jamie’s diagnosis.

This year, rather than hosting a table at the Breakthrough T1D Hope Gala, we have decided to participate through the Fund A Need portion of the evening. No tux or evening gown required. I can hear some of you now: “Thanks for giving us a break too!”

The work Breakthrough T1D supports continues to matter to our family, both in improving life for people living with type 1 diabetes today and in pursuing the breakthroughs that we hope will one day make this disease a thing of the past.

Thank you for continuing to follow Jamie’s journey and for being part of ours.