Fund A Cure with Eric and Karen Slaymaker and Family | Breakthrough T1D Utah Gala 2025

About

It is an honor to serve as this year’s Chair of the Breakthrough T1D Hope Gala, to be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Salt Palace Convention Center. This evening is more than a celebration. It is a powerful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the millions of children, adults, and families affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D).

This is a role that is deeply personal to my family and me. My husband, Eric, and I have been committed to this cause for over two decades, ever since our son, Tristan, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 12. That moment changed our lives forever. That was when our family made ending T1D our mission. Our passion only grew when our grandson, Jayden, was also diagnosed 13 years ago at only 13-months-old.

Since that first diagnosis 23 years ago, we have poured our hearts into supporting Breakthrough T1D through board service, walks, galas, and community events. The progress we have seen is remarkable. Tristan went from taking multiple daily shots to using an automated insulin delivery system. The way we once managed his T1D is worlds apart from how he now manages both his own and his son’s, thanks to the research and technology made possible by Breakthrough T1D supporters.

Eric and I invite you to join us by making a meaningful contribution to the Hope Gala. Your generosity will help accelerate research breakthroughs, expand access to care, and bring us closer to a world without T1D.

Whether you will be in the ballroom with us or not on November 15, your donation today will fund life-changing research, drive innovations in treatment, and bring us closer to the ultimate goal – a world without T1D. Every dollar brings us hope, every contribution moves us forward, and every gift is a step towards a cure. 

Please join us in this fight. Stand with us for Tristan and for Jayden, for the millions impacted by T1D, and for the day we say goodbye to this disease forever.

I look forward to making an impact with you on November 15.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Karen Slaymaker