Some people support the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community with their time. Others support it with their voice. Kristen Aluzzi does both. For the past 35 years, she has lived with T1D while using her experiences to educate others, challenge misconceptions, and remind people that life with diabetes has no limits.
After nearly two decades running her restaurant, Kristen found a unique way to combine her business, her community, and her passion for advocacy: an annual golf outing that raises funds for T1D research.
Breakfast at sunrise. More than 100 golfers on the course. Games at the turn, live music throughout the day, and dinner shared at the finish. It looks like the perfect summer outing, and in many ways, it is. But behind every swing and every smile is a shared purpose: advancing research and creating greater awareness for T1D. Through her annual outing, Kristen brings together customers, friends, and supporters who are eager to make a difference.
When asked what she wishes more people understood about T1D, her answer is simple: “it is manageable, but it is not curable, 
“ She often encounters misconceptions, including the belief that people with T1D cannot eat sugar or can safely go without insulin for hours or days. The reality is much different. T1D requires constant attention. As Kristen describes it, it is a “24/7 disease” where every step, every moment, and every decision can impact blood sugar levels.
Despite those daily challenges, Kristen remains optimistic. She loves learning about advances in diabetes technology and connecting with others in the T1D community. She is especially passionate about encouraging children and adults who are newly diagnosed, helping them see that diabetes does not define what they can achieve. Her message is one of patience, grace, determination, and hope.
That hope is what keeps her involved year after year. While she celebrates the progress being made in diabetes technology, she knows there is still work to be done. Until there is a cure, people living with T1D will continue to face the daily demands, expenses, and frustrations that come with managing the condition. That is why fundraising, advocacy, and community support remain so important.
If there is one thing Kristen wants others to know, it is this: people with T1D can do anything. Whether she is running a business, hosting a golf outing, or advocating for the diabetes community, she demonstrates every day that a T1D diagnosis does not limit what is possible. In her words, “Everything and anything is possible.”