Mary Grace McNamara first joined the Breakthrough T1D family after her type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis. A chapter youth ambassador, you may have seen Mary Grace at One Walk, advocating for Breakthrough T1D or conducting a scavenger hunt at last summer’s Somerset Patriots outreach event. Recently, Mary Grace received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts.

Breakthrough T1D New Jersey Metro & Rockland County Chapter: When did you first get connected with
JDRF?

Mary Grace McNamara: I was first connected with Breakthrough T1D soon after my diagnosis in 2009.

JDRF: How are you involved with Breakthrough T1D today?

Mary Grace: My family and I are annual participants and fundraisers for the Breakthrough T1D walks. We continue to
advocate and educate our community about type 1 diabetes everyday.

JDRF: What do you want people unfamiliar with type 1 diabetes to know about T1D and you?

Mary Grace: Even though it is a 24/7 commitment, with no breaks, T1D has never stopped me from doing
anything. I continue to swim on the Varsity team as long as I test my blood sugar. I go out with
my friends as long as I wear my insulin pump. I can do anything because I am responsible with
my condition.

JDRF: You recently received a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. To
receive this prestigious award, you must set out to change your corner of the world. Can you
tell us about your project and how you tied in Breakthrough T1D?

Mary Grace: With lack of a support group for them, preteen male type 1 diabetics felt very different, and
sometimes isolated. By creating a supportive environment that caters to where they are developmentally, I naturally created connections and relationships among the members. As they learned Type 1 Diabetes management techniques from the sustainable curriculum I created, with the support of Breakthrough T1D, Diabetic Dudes taught the children how to manage their disease and tackled feelings of stress and isolation.