Breakthrough T1D Wisconsin Gala 2026

Otis Day has been a longtime supporter of Breakthrough T1D and is excited to be part of the Breakthrough T1D Gala. Otis was diagnosed as a T1D in 1985, and his son Hudson was diagnosed in elementary school.

Otis has spent a quarter of a century broadcasting live on NE Wisconsin radio waves. He is live on 95.9 KISS FM as one of the hosts of KISS FM Mornings from 5 a.m. – 9 a.m. each weekday.

As an advocate for Breakthrough T1D Otis is thrilled to be invited back to host again this year. Otis says, “There is nothing in the world I am more passionate about in life than finding a cure for T1D, and that all starts with events like this.”

While not having a personal connection, Diana Henry’s passion for finding better treatments and a cure for T1D goes beyond emceeing the gala over the years. In addition to receiving the 2015 Volunteer of the Year award, Diana has been involved in the Ride to Cure since 2012.

In her full-time role, Diana is director of public relations at Market Crafters. She assists a variety of agency clients with marketing, communication, and public relations needs.

Before joining Market Crafters, Diana spent more than a decade behind the anchor desk as a television news journalist in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

During her broadcast news career, Diana won numerous awards. Those honors include Associated Press awards, regional Emmy, and the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award for a documentary for her one-hour documentary featuring Wisconsin volunteers’ stories as they helped those devastated by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Erik Bilstad, a national Edward R. Murrow award winning journalist, can be heard on Wis. Morning News every weekday morning on Newsradio 620 WTMJ in Milwaukee.

Erik has lived with T1D since he was 7 years old. When it comes to being insulin dependent, he has experienced it all! He has seen the technology improve dramatically over the years, and credits the research being done by Breakthrough T1D for making living with T1D so manageable.

Erik, his wife, and three children reside in Menomonee Falls. They love to travel to warm destinations, watch their kids play soccer/baseball/piano/etc. and take their dog Remi on long hikes.

To learn more about the Zilinskas family, click here.

To learn more about the Hill Family, click here.

To learn more about the Scharpf family, click here.

To learn more about the Engel Family, click here.

To learn more about the Smith Family, click here.

To learn more about the Eager Family, click here.