P.J. Pimpinelli started his Breakthrough T1D One Walk team in his sophomore year of high school, shortly after he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 13. He was a member of the Community Service Club and got his whole school involved in fundraising. During homeroom, P.J. and his friends would sell paper sneakers for $1 each. Each grade had a different colored sneaker, so it became a fun competition to see who could raise the most money. “I would stay after school every day to hang the sneakers around the cafeteria so that everyone could see which class was winning,” he said. P.J.’s paper sneaker sales raised almost $2,000 every year.
But his fundraising didn’t stop after high school. In fact, it continued to grow and in 2023, Team P.J. is walking for their 19th year! “Every Breakthrough T1D Walk feels like a reunion with family and friends from high school, college, graduate school, and various jobs,” he said.
Where’s P.J.?
One of P.J.’s most memorable walks was the year he wasn’t there! He unintentionally planned a vacation the same weekend as the Breakthrough T1D One Walk. That didn’t stop his family and friends. “My team still showed up to the Walk wearing t-shirts with an illustration of me under a palm tree and the words ‘Where’s P.J.?’” he said. “It goes to show how much everyone cares about the cause.”
Why P.J. Walks
P.J. has experienced the impact of T1D research first-hand. Early in his diagnosis, he wore a “bulky” diagnostic continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for three days so his doctor could assess his blood glucose trends. “I never would have imagined that, years later, I’d be using a CGM all the time and that it would talk to my pump to make insulin adjustments,” he said. “The past 5-10 years of technological advancements in T1D have been absolutely life changing, and I’m excited to see what products are released in the future.”
Today, P.J. works as a physician assistant in pediatric endocrinology. “My diagnosis inspired me to end up where I am today,” he said. “Breakthrough T1D has played a huge role in my life. My team and I look forward to the Breakthrough T1D One Walk year after year.”
Join other T1D families at your local Breakthrough T1D One Walk!
Malena Rubalcava named her Breakthrough T1D One Walk Team Bloody Roses. “Roses are beautiful to look at,” she said. “But if you touch a thorn, you bleed, just like when you check your glucose level.”
Malena was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in May of 2022 and her story is a common one: she was losing weight and drinking a lot of water, so her parents took her to the pediatrician. The seven days Malena spent in the hospital gave her parents time to contemplate. “We approached her diagnosis with an ‘I’ve got it’ mentality, which impacted how Malena approached it,” her mother Sulin said.
The Rubalcavas reached out to Breakthrough T1D for support after receiving a Bag of Hope in the hospital. They immediately signed up for the Los Angeles Breakthrough T1D One Walk. There, they realized they were part of an entire community of people with a positive approach to T1D. “Marlena was happy to be there,” Sulin said. “She was excited to see she wasn’t alone in her diagnosis.”
Another Reason to Walk
In their first year, the Bloody Roses raised over $1,000, making Malena a V1P (much to her delight!). This year, they’re back with even more reasons to fundraise for T1D research: Malena’s younger sister, Belisia, was screened for T1D and determined to be at risk of also developing the disease. Sulin is glad they found out about Belisia’s risk through screening because it gives them the opportunity to be prepared and proactive. “Now Belisia can potentially qualify for new research or therapies to delay type 1 diabetes or even prevent it,” she said.
The Rubalcavas recently attended a TypeOneNation Summit, which they found invaluable. “The Summit helped us have a deeper understanding of type 1 diabetes,” Sulin said. It also gave them great hope for the future: “We want Malena to feel empowered in managing her T1D and live a normal life as much as possible.”
Join other T1D families at your local Breakthrough T1D One Walk!
Special thank you to our partners at Ford for their 25 amazing years of support, raising more than $75 million, and inspiring many others to join the Breakthrough T1D One Walk to move critical research for type 1 diabetes forward.
