Chris Ronzio was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in 1994, when he was 9 years old.
“I’ve now been living with T1D for over 32 years, and it’s woven into every part of my life, as a CEO running a 140-person company, as a competitive endurance athlete who has run marathons on five continents, and as a father of two boys who watches this disease with a different kind of urgency now,” Chris said.
As one of the first teenagers in the world to use an insulin pump, Chris says he’s been an early adopter of T1D breakthroughs ever since.
“I’ve raised over $1 million for T1D research because I genuinely believe a cure is coming in my lifetime, and I want to be part of making it happen,” he added.
Chris has been participating in Breakthrough T1D Walks since he was around 9 years old, but Breakthrough T1D Run came later.
“My first race with the team was the 2022 Boston Marathon, which was especially meaningful because I grew up in Boston,” Chris said. “Running through those streets, representing a cause that has been part of my life since childhood, felt like a full-circle moment.”
He says the best thing about Run is connecting with the T1D community.
“Diabetes can feel incredibly isolating—it lives quietly inside you, invisible to most people,” Chris said. “These races crack that open. For a few hours, you’re surrounded by people who understand exactly what you carry, and that’s something you can’t find anywhere else.”
If you’re considering running for the first time, Chris recommends just jumping in—even if it feels scary. And he says Breakthrough T1D Run has “skyrocketed” his T1D education, awareness, and advocacy.
“I’ve found that learning to manage T1D through all the variables of training and racing—the fueling, the glucose swings, the unexpected curveballs—makes managing the day-to-day so much easier in between events,” Chris said. “You’ll come out the other side knowing your body better, connected to a community you didn’t know you needed, and with a fundraising story worth telling.”
This Run season, we’re running Abbott World Marathon Majors in Sydney, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, Tokyo, London, and Cape Town—and we’d love to see you there!
Your Run, Your Way, Your Day!
Not ready to commit to 26.2 miles just yet? With Breakthrough T1D My Run, we’ve got options for you to still put a mission behind your miles, no matter the distance!
Whether you’re logging miles on a treadmill, hitting the track outdoors, running with friends, or showing up at a local event, this is your run—designed to fit your life, pace, and goals. Along the way, you’ll connect with an unstoppable community through pop-up fitness challenges, fundraising moments, and celebrations that honor every milestone you achieve.
“When we built My Run last year, the whole point was to reimagine the starting line,” Anthony Geraci, National Director of Breakthrough T1D Ride and Endurance, said. “You don’t have to be a marathoner to make an impact. You can walk a mile or run a mile, log it on a treadmill or out on a trail, do it with a crew or on your own—and it all counts. Every distance, every pace, and every ability moves our mission forward. That’s the power of this community: anyone, anywhere can put a mission behind their miles and help us cure, prevent, and treat T1D.”
There are no registration fees and no fundraising minimums. Join anytime, participate anywhere, and earn exciting rewards along the way! This year, we’re excited to offer a full package of incentives:
“I’m running with Breakthrough T1D My Run because 10 years ago this October, I was diagnosed with T1D,” Emily Mazreku, My Run participant and Breakthrough T1D staff member, said. “To honor the milestone, I’m running 100 miles this year and raising $1,000 (that’s $10 for every mile I run!) to support life-changing T1D breakthroughs. Every mile will be a reminder and a celebration of how far I’ve come, how far research has come, and everyone who has supported me along the way.”
Join Us and Power T1D Breakthroughs
At this point, you know Run is a powerful worldwide movement raising awareness and critical funding to create a world without T1D. This movement powers progress on promising T1D research, turning ideas into life-changing therapies and advancing us toward cures.
That means fewer finger pokes. Fewer dangerous highs and lows. And more affordable insulin. Join us today to help break barriers and support the innovations helping people with T1D live better lives! With a variety of ways to get involved, there is an option for everyone.
