Fund A Cure with The Sabbota Family | Breakthrough T1D Palm Beach Gala 2026

For Alec — Our Why

In April 2020, at the start of COVID, our world changed. Our son Alec was rushed to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, and doctors told us that if we had waited another day or two, he wouldn’t have survived. We didn’t know the signs of Type 1 diabetes — extreme thirst, fatigue, sudden weight loss, stomach pain. A little education could have saved us from a near tragedy. For many families, it can save a life.

Children are still dying — not because their parents don’t care, but because they don’t know the symptoms or can’t afford the insulin that keeps their children alive. No child should die because of a price tag.

Type 1 affects every part of Alec’s childhood. He can’t grab a snack, run outside, or go to a birthday party without planning. Swimming is scary because his devices don’t work in water. Every high and low impacts his body, energy, and emotions. Yet Alec smiles, plays, and dreams. He shows a bravery no child should have to learn.

We are honored to be this year’s Fund-A-Cure Family. Every dollar donated goes directly to research through Breakthrough T1D, the world’s leading organization working toward a cure. Their work gives families like ours hope that one day Alec will live free from fear, needles, and numbers — and simply be a kid.

— Lauren and Mark Sabbota