Fund A Cure with Colleen and Chris Eaton | Breakthrough T1D Denver Gala 2026

About the Eaton Family

Colleen and Chris Eaton were introduced to Breakthrough T1D (then JDRF) after several of their daughter’s friends were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. What began as concern for families in their community quickly grew into a deep commitment to the mission. They started getting involved. They started giving. And they found something unexpected along the way — a community.

That inauspicious beginning led them to what they now call their “found family” within the Ride Program. Recently, Chris rode alongside two parents whose child had just been diagnosed. Over 30 miles — with a few stops to treat lows — he shared the resources and support Breakthrough T1D provides, and the powerful sense of belonging they themselves had discovered. By the end of the ride, those parents understood: they were no longer alone. They had found a community that would walk — and ride — beside them.

Chris completed his first Breakthrough T1D (then JDRF) Ride in Death Valley in 2010. Since then, he has participated in 42 rides across the country, including 33 as a dedicated Ride Coach. He served on two Chapter Boards from 2014–2019 and was a founding member of several National Ride Program Advisory Councils, where he continues to lend his leadership and passion.

Colleen and Chris support Breakthrough T1D because they believe in the power of connection, progress, and persistence. And they will continue riding — and giving — until everyone has a cure.