We are Breakthrough T1D
We discovered that we needed a name that reflected who we are—and where we’re going. It was time to carry the momentum created by more than 50 years of research, advocacy, and community into a brand that reflected who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re going. We are now Breakthrough T1D.
Our purpose: As we drive toward curing type 1 diabetes, we help make everyday life better for the people who face it.
Mission: Accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.
Why we fight type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults suddenly. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent it. And, at present, there is no cure.
In T1D, your pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone the body needs to get energy from food. This means a process your body does naturally and automatically becomes something that now requires your daily attention and manual intervention. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance these insulin doses with your eating and activity throughout the day and night.
However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Even with the most vigilant disease management, a significant portion of your day will be spent with either high or low blood-sugar levels. These fluctuations place people with T1D at risk for potentially life-threatening hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes as well as devastating long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, blindness and amputation.
Who we are and what we do
Founded in 1970 by families whose loved ones had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), Breakthrough T1D is a tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
We are opening doors that were once closed by T1D diagnosis. We lead the way to more effective solutions by connecting the brightest minds to advance treatments, influence policy, and improve access to care. By driving innovation forward, Breakthrough T1D will make type 1 diabetes a condition of the past.