May is National Bike Month! With the month coming to a close, we wanted to not only celebrate our local team, but also acknowledge how far we’ve come as a cycling program over the years at Breakthrough T1D.

Founded in 1970 by parents determined to find a cure for their children with T1D, Breakthrough T1D expanded through grassroots fundraising and advocacy efforts to become a powerhouse in the scientific community with making an impact globally in the lives of those affected by T1D.

Over the past 26 years, cyclists from around the world have pedaled thousands of miles and raised over $60 million for type 1 diabetes research. In 1997 with 17 volunteers from Cincinnati, OH were looking for a new way to make a big impact on fundraising for (what was then known as) JDF.

The team rode a cumulative 1,700 miles by moonlight in Death Valley, CA! They raised $70,000, paving the way for what we know today as the Breakthrough T1D Ride Program. The very next year, in 1998, Breakthrough T1D launched the first official Ride in Death Valley.

Since then, cyclists from all over, including those from our Kansas Missouri chapter, have gathered each year at destinations and community Rides for our mission. Our local team has grown over the years from just a handful of riders to more than 50 riders in 2023.

This year, we hope to continue to grow our cycling program and continue the legacy of those volunteers who first rode all those years ago for T1D. The Ride program not only gives hope for the future, but it’s a community of like-minded riders who have the same passion and drive to take on a hard challenge like T1D. Celebrate with us in May and all year long as we cycle for T1D.

If you’re interested in joining our Kansas and Missouri Ride Team, you can register at ride.jdrf.org! If you have questions or want to learn more, reach out to Rachael at rwernsman@BreakthroughT1D.org.