The secret of JDRF’s remarkable progress toward our ultimate goal of a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one thing: you. We have a plan to keep people with T1D healthy and safe until we deliver prevention and a cure—and you play the most important part.

You don’t sit back and wait. Literally.

JDRF supporters walk the talk, taking their stories to the seats of power to effect change. At this year’s JDRF 2016 One Conference in Washington, D.C., attendees seized a prime opportunity to accelerate progress in delivering life-changing therapies to the T1D community. Some of our most dedicated advocates trooped to Capitol Hill to visit their elected representatives and tell their stories about what living with T1D is really like to secure government support for T1D research and access to new diabetes therapies and devices.

Our JDRF Advocacy team is second to none. That’s because we realize that it isn’t enough to fund groundbreaking T1D research. We must help people living with T1D gain access to the new therapies and devices that result from JDRF-funded research, like continuous glucose monitors and artificial pancreas technology.

Your passion drives our plan.

Our One Conference attendees spent time over three days hearing about JDRF’s strategic plan, a multi-year road map to capitalize on the most promising opportunities across our research portfolio. To do the greatest good for the largest number of people in the shortest period of time, each and every supporter contributes time, talents and dollars that together add up to an impact we could never achieve alone.

In one session, attendees enthusiastically participated in “chalk talks” with our JDRF research team. Researchers talked about T1D advances in layman’s terms that will resonate with anyone, anywhere.

You have the finish line in focus.

Again and again, conference attendees expressed a consistent theme about why they stick with JDRF. We have one purpose: accelerating life-changing breakthroughs for people with T1D. Once you join the JDRF community, you’ll want to stick with us to the end. Mike Clark, national head coach and JDRF Michigan Great Lakes Chapter coach for JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes, had no involvement with our organization until he found the Ride. Now, he says, “JDRF is one of the most important things in my life.”

You keep our promise.

As JDRF 2016 One Conference came to a close, each participant left inspired and committed to do just a little bit more to bring us closer to ending this disease that affects millions of lives. Volunteer Jay Hancock, incoming chapter board president of the Indiana chapter, captured it poignantly when he said, “My heart has been singing a happy song for two and a half days.” We hope you, too, will help us joyfully honor our promise to keep people with this disease healthier, safer and living longer—until we prevent and cure T1D.

Explore how you can go the distance with JDRF.