There’s a new role in town for this year’s Breakthrough T1D Walk Colorado: Family Team Champion!

Let’s meet the team in charge of this new role: the Racz Family of Team Lizzie Strong!

Team Captain and T1D Mom, Sarah, remembers the summer the type 1 diabetes (T1D) journey of her oldest child and Breakthrough T1D Youth Ambassador, Lizzie, began.

Lizzie’s Diagnosis Story

They were living in Maryland at the time and it was a particularly hot summer. Lizzie, who was just 3 years old, was drinking a lot of water, which lead to new nighttime bed-wetting accidents. Sarah thought, “Of course she’s having accidents given how much water she is drinking!” When the accidents didn’t get better, she took Lizzie to the pediatrician, who ran a urine culture, but unfortunately, their doctor misread the results and sent them home, saying there was nothing to worry about.

Sarah’s “mom instinct,” as she calls it, kicked in. They went back to the pediatrician after the bed-wetting accidents kept getting worse. The doctor checked Lizzie’s blood sugar and the number was 436.

“I felt like the floor dropped out from underneath me,” Sarah recalled. “Like so many families that live everyday with T1D, that appointment with her pediatrician is burned into my memory.”

They headed straight to the ER and Lizzie was hospitalized, where she received a 3-day crash course in all things T1D.

Lizzie received a Bag of Hope at her first appointment with an endocrinologist, and the Racz Family got involved with their local chapter of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). Their first Walk Day was in Baltimore in April 2018 (nine months post-diagnosis) and Sarah remembers how powerful the event was, sharing that she cried “being around an entire community who understood what we were going through.” Being a part of this event gave Sarah a sense of control and power over a diagnosis that “often makes me feel powerless.”

Lizzie shared that her favorite part about Walk has always been that everyone is there to work toward the same goal: a cure for T1D. She loves that everyone is constantly looking out for everyone else: “whenever an alarm goes off, everyone is asking ‘Are you beeping?’ and checking their pumps and phones.”

They’ve been a part of a Walk every year since then, including virtual Walks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their team, Team Lizzie Strong, has raised a total of $79,918 for Breakthrough T1D in the 7 years since Lizzie’s diagnosis, all thanks to the amazing generosity of their family and friends.

In fact, Walk Day is the Racz Family’s favorite Breakthrough T1D-sponsored event! Sarah loves “the sense of community and purpose that is in the air” on event day. T1D Dad Mike loves that Walk Day “brings out a community from all walks of life focused on a singular purpose.” Even Lizzie’s younger twin siblings love going to Walk Day to support their sister, on top of “helping Lizzie when she needs snacks and telling Mom when her alarms are beeping.”

Which is why, as Lizzie entered her 7th year with T1D at the age of 10, the Racz Family became this year’s Family Team Champions.

“We are so excited to be invited to be the Family Team Champions this year! Breakthrough T1D has been such an important part of our lives and in Lizzie’s T1D journey. We feel fortunate to be able to count this organization as part of our village and support system. We have met some absolutely incredible people through Breakthrough T1D, and so taking on this new role is a way for us to honor how important this organization has been to our family.”

Breakthrough Moments for the Racz Family

We asked Sarah and Lizzie to tell us more about what their breakthrough moments with T1D have been in the years since diagnosis.

For Lizzie, it’s when she went to an American Diabetes Association (ADA) sleepaway camp for the first time this year.

“I changed my pump by myself for the first time, and I counted all my carbs on my own. It helped me see that I can manage my T1D all by myself, which was important to me and my family because they are watching me grow and become more independent. My family helps me with every step in my T1D, but it’s good to know that I can do it myself too.”

With a background in research herself, Sarah is excited about the research advancements Breakthrough T1D has funded and continues to fund.

“I have been really excited about all the new technological advances for people living with T1D. Lizzie’s pump has gone through a number of updates and changes in just the 4 short years that she has had it, and the speed of that progress is really remarkable. It’s a powerful tool in how we manage Lizzie’s T1D and I’m so thankful for all the technology that is available to us.”

As an engineer, Mike is also excited about research advancements, sharing that he’s “constantly amazed at the miniaturization of the technology enabling our kids to conquer the world without limits. While we all hope for a cure, seeing the advancements in CGM and pump technology of the last five years and knowing how that improved Lizzie’s A1C numbers and Time in Range makes me very hopeful for the next couple of years.”

We also asked Sarah and Lizzie what advice they’d give to others, people who might not know what’s out there for them until they experience something like Walk Day.

Lizzie’s advice to other kids struggling with T1D? “It is hard, but it will get easier. Just keep calm and ask your parents for advice and support. Talk to your doctor or other people who have lived with T1D for longer than you – don’t hesitate to ask them questions. The struggle will not go on forever, because as you learn, you will get stronger. The entire T1D community is powerful and we are all supporting each other to find a cure, even if we don’t know each other, we are all fighting for the same thing. Hopefully one day, that fight will be over.”

Sarah’s advice to parents who may not know how to help their kids with T1D? “It sounds cliché, but it does get better. Be patient, and listen to your child living with T1D. We walk this journey with them, but they are the ones living with it every day. Find your village and the type of support that you need and that works for you. People want to help, but sometimes it’s hard to even know what to ask, or what you need help with. Even if it’s just having someone come over, so you can sit outside and breathe for a bit, or to have someone sit next to you while you vent or cry or whatever you need, reach out. Most important, be sure to take care of yourself. Being a caregiver for someone with T1D is not a science, and often there is no logic in it – give yourself grace and know that you are doing a great job!”

Getting Ready for Walk Day

As Family Team Champions, the Racz Family is here to support you, too!

What’s Lizzie’s #1 fundraising tip for other kids? “Ask a lot of family members and friends. Even small donations mean a lot and add up quickly! Don’t be afraid to share your story – people who care about you will love you and want to help.”

What’s Sarah’s #1 fundraising tip for families? “Lean on your network, and think outside the box! Share your story and broadcast the call for fundraising widely. I always post our fundraiser on Facebook and ask our family to reach out to their friends and colleagues. We have been so grateful to have received a number of generous donations from people in this extended network.”

The Racz Family is ready to say hi, connect, share stories, laugh, and vent with you!

Are you ready to join Team Lizzie Strong in the fight to end T1D? Register for this year’s Breakthrough T1D Walk Colorado on Sunday, October 13, at City Park in Denver here!