Fund A Cure with Mila Heldebrandt | Breakthrough T1D St. Louis Gala 2026

About Mila

Hi! I’m Mila Heldebrandt! I’m 11 years old, and I’m honored to be chosen as a Youth Ambassador for the St. Louis Breakthrough T1D Gala this year.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 7, along with having Covid. What my parents thought was just a stomach bug ended with a trip to the ER—my blood sugar was over 900, and I was in DKA. I was immediately flown to a children’s hospital in Springfield, IL, where I spent five days recovering and learning what life with T1D would look like.

Life hasn’t always been easy, but I refuse to let T1D hold me back. I stay involved with Breakthrough T1D, and I continue to follow my passions—dancing competitively with Inspired Movement Academy (IMA) and cheering at basketball games for my junior high school (Go, Braves!).

I’m raising money to help fund life-changing research, better treatments, and one day—a cure. I currently use an Omnipod pump and a Dexcom to read my blood sugars. Without technology and research, life with Type 1 would be a lot harder to manage!

Thank you for supporting me and everyone living with Type 1 Diabetes. 💙