November is National Diabetes Awareness Month! This is the month where communities across the country join hands to educate and spread awareness about type 1 diabetes (T1D) and bring attention to issues facing the T1D community.
Breakthrough T1D is celebrating and commemorating this month by elevating stories of people living with and impacted by type 1 diabetes (T1D). Their wins, small and big, are what make them T1D Champions, all day, every day.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults at any age. While the causes of type 1 diabetes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved.
T1D is not related to diet or lifestyle, there is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it. In T1D, the body’s immune system destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, meaning the body produces little to no insulin to regulate blood sugar and get energy from food. The onset of T1D is sudden, leading to immediate insulin dependence and the need for injections.
T1D requires rigorous 24/7 monitoring of blood glucose levels—even overnight—to avoid potentially lethal high blood sugar and low blood sugar, as well as other devastating complications like kidney, eye and nerve diseases, and heart disease. Staying on top of T1D requires the mindset of a champion, which is why we are celebrating T1D Champions all month long.
Watch a short video from Dr. Aaron Kowalski, Breakthrough T1D President and CEO and learn more about how Breakthrough T1D will spread awareness about T1D all month.
Be sure to check out our social channels to find inspiring T1D Champions stories from across our community.
We invite you to share your stories with us: tell us about your wins, whether it is a small victory of talking to others about your T1D or a big one of running a marathon. Let’s celebrate all the wins and congratulate our T1D Champions, together. Share your stories on our social channels using the hashtag #T1DChampions or email us at social@BreakthroughT1D.org.
As always, thank you for all that you do. We are so excited to celebrate you as our T1D Champions, all day, every day.
