This year, our Breakthrough T1D One Walk survey asked participants, “What was the best part of your event experience?” The responses here hit always hit home for our staff team.

It’s a variety of heart-warming responses like, “I especially enjoyed the cheering for my daughter’s team at the finish line” and “Having my nephew with T1D run up to me and hug me for raising over $1,000!”

For many people, Walk day provides them with a great excuse to round up the family,

“This event brings my family and friends together every year … in honor of my son … we walk for a CURE! The best is my son came home from college to walk with us!”

And, for a lot of participants, the Walk is their first real opportunity to connect with others who just get it. Children get to see others kids their age living with T1D, moms get to meet other T1D moms, the list goes on.

I see a common theme in these responses: Walk brings a like-minded community together. This may sum it up best, “It was an experience that I hope they [my children] will always remember and want to participate in in the future.

We loved what the Walk stood for.”

Our community is determined to support all those affected by T1D, showing them – through the action of walking – that our everyday heroes are not alone. As one parent said,

“My daughter felt like the center of attention for the day.”

This community is also determined to fight. You fight to raise awareness. You fight to receive better health insurance coverage.

And, most importantly, you fight to raise funds.

To date, we have raised $1.59 million through Breakthrough T1D One Walk, and with a little extra work and support, we’ll hit our goal of $1.79 million.

For this, we can’t thank you enough.

Every single dollar you bring into Breakthrough T1D helps us move the needle on critical T1D research. When you give to Breakthrough T1D, you help unlock millions of additional dollars for T1D research. For every $1 Breakthrough T1D invests in research an additional $2.50 is brought into the field.

The outlook for the future has never been better – and it’s because of you.

Because of you, Breakthrough T1D has changed the way we live with T1D. Less than 50 years ago, insulin was derived from animals, and dosing was wildly inconsistent. Now, synthetic insulin – with a range of speeds and duration – offer precision and flexibility to better balance blood-sugar levels.

Every day, we’re learning more about the disease in an effort to end it once and for all.

We’re funding different approaches to treatment, with tighter control, to significantly improve quality of life. In short, we’re helping people lead much better lives, and your support ensures that will continue.