ASHLAND, Neb. (KMTV) — At Mahoney State Park hundreds are stepping up in support of one another with type one diabetes. Breakthrough T1D is raising funds for research and resources to help everyone live a life they deserve.
- Breakthrough T1D is a leading global organization in type 1 diabetes research and advocacy.
- Families like Andrew Mahoney's and Chris Dunn's participate to support and connect with others facing T1D challenges.
- Breakthrough T1D aims to raise $450,000 through this event to accelerate diabetes research.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Walking towards a cure. At Mahoney State Park in Ashland, hundreds are stepping up in support of one another with type one diabetes. Through this walk, Breakthrough T1D is raising funds for research and resources to help everyone live a life they deserve.
Four-year-old Ava Mahoney was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was just 17 months old. Now her friends and family including her dad Andrew are walking to support her.
"Families of type one diabetics, it's kind of a hidden illness. They look fine, they act fine but it's kind of life or death every day, right?" said Andrew Mahoney.
Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease that can affect both children and adults and it has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle.
"It's not necessarily what they're eating that's causing the problem. It's their pancreas isn't producing the type of insulin they need to digest the sugars properly in their body," said Mahoney.
That's why 'Breakthrough T1D' is working to find a cure. So families like Andrew's and Chris Dunn's don't have to rely on technology for constant monitoring of blood sugar levels.
"When my son was first diagnosed before we had CGM or continuous glucose monitor technology, I was getting up at midnight and 3 a.m. every single night to check blood sugar," said Dunn, the Market Director for Breakthrough T1D.
Breakthrough T1D is leading the way globally for type one diabetes research. And it's walks like this that help them make advancements in treatments while helping families connect over the challenges this disease presents.
"And after a year of just feeling like I was living in a hole trying to keep my son alive 24 hours a day. We went to that walk and it was the first time where I felt hope, where I felt community, that we weren't alone and empowered that I could jump in and do something to change the future for my son," said Dunn.
The T1D Walk aims to raise $450,000 through this event to accelerate diabetes research. If you weren't able to make it but still want to donate you can visitBreakthrough T1D's webpage.
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