Breakthrough T1D Believe In Breakthroughs 2027

Honoree

Barbara Corsaro 

Barbara Corsaro is a 54-year member of the West Milford community. She and her husband, Lou, have been married for 54 years and have two children, David and Donna, and three grandchildren: Matthew, Daniel, and Noelle. 

Barbara spent 22 years as a kindergarten teacher. As retirement approached, her grandson Matthew was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at 15 months old. That diagnosis introduced the family to Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and the Walks for a Cure, and David formed Team Miracle for Matthew. Matthew is now 16. 

In the 1980s, Barbara joined the West Milford Lions Club, part of Lions International. As a Lion, she has served as club president and district governor, leading 48 clubs across North Jersey, and has led numerous local, district, and state committees. She launched the West Milford Lions Club Vision Screening Program, which the entire district later adopted. The program funds a spot vision screener that detects amblyopia, nearsightedness, farsightedness, unequal focus of the eyes, and other conditions in preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders. Now in its 20th year, the West Milford program continues to serve students throughout West Milford and surrounding communities. In September 2025, when the New Jersey Lions hosted the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum, Barbara requested that the Forum’s service project be a Walk for Diabetes. More than 1,500 walkers took part despite the rain, raising $13,000. 

Barbara’s volunteer leadership has been recognized with the 2009 Lions International Melvin Jones Award, the 2010 Dr. Robert W. Moore Pioneer Award, the 2014 International President’s Certificate of Appreciation, the 2016 International President’s Medal, the 2023 International Leadership Medal, the 2025 International Leadership Medal, and the 2025 Mission 1.5 Growth Champion Medal. 

Since Team Miracle for Matthew’s founding, Barbara has deepened her own knowledge of T1D and shared it as a guest speaker at club meetings, drawing fellow Lions to the Walk and to promoting Breakthrough T1D within their own clubs. She has helped clubs unable to attend the area’s main Walk start Walks in their own communities and now co-chairs the local School/Walk Program. Barbara also served as a Family Coach for Breakthrough T1D, visiting local families following a new diagnosis. She is the recipient of the 2023 JDRF Community Volunteer Award. 

 

Entertainment

Mentalist David Corsaro 

David Corsaro has been one of the most in-demand magicians and mentalists for the past 20 years.  He is currently a featured performer in 4 different off-Broadway magic shows in NYC and is a regular at the world famous “Magic Castle” in Los Angeles.  In 2022, David was featured on the hit TV show “Penn & Teller Fool Us” (and guess what….he won!)

Committee

Dina Madonick

Tracey Ingrasselino

Jan Miller

Rachel Sugalski

Larry Nayman

David Kroner

David Corsaro

Jodi Fader

Barbara Corsaro

Jamie Weinstein

 

                

Host Commitee

Mr. and Mrs. Jon and Jan Miller

Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Dina Madonick

Mr. and Mrs. Larry and Susan Nayman

Mr. and Mrs. Kyle and Gina Gehan

449 Rivervale Road

River Vale, NJ 07675