Meet The B Team, led by team captain Cindy Schreibman, who will be joining us at the JDRF One Walk in NYC on September 24^th!

Read on to learn what the JDRF One Walk means to Cindy and her family.

Why did you join the JDRF One Walk?

When my son was diagnosed with T1D in December 2003, I went numb.  Known as the person who got things done, I had no clue how to fix this one. For a mom to suddenly experience their adolescent child struggling with counting carbs, endless finger pricks (CGM’s were not in play yet), trying to find a comfortable place on their body to inject insulin when they ate more than a small carrot, seemingly endless trips to the school nurse, endocrinologist, eye doctor, etc., was emotionally draining. I felt helpless and powerless, and I wasn’t even the patient. Believe me there was guilt associated with that, too.

What saved me was the JDRF One Walk, which a relative signed me up for (without telling me!) in 2004. Even though I don’t like being pushed into anything, I took the bait, started to fundraise, and never looked back.

Sharing our story with others in the same boat, feeling the support pre, during, and post walk, and knowing that my family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues rallied hard to help us raise money, was incredibly affirming. Plus, I was able to do something positive and show my son that this was a disease that could be beat.

How many years have you been participating? 

2022 marks the 19th year that The B Team (named for my son, Brad) is walking. In addition to the gratification and fun that the walk offers, we’ve seen firsthand the significant T1D treatment and care advances JDRF funding has provided, and the monumental progress made over the last 20 years.

My son’s father and I are divorced and even during some tough moments, we somehow always found common ground when it came to raising money for JDRF research and showing up as a “unit” on walk day.

My dad walked with us every year, too. At 85 he crossed the Brooklyn Bridge like a champ.  My sister (always a fundraising V1P) and her partner, Doug, have never missed a walk and great friends Helene, Ben, Max, Veronica, Nicole, Lara, and Paulina always show up.

And my son Brad has gone from being a reluctant walk participant (I remember dragging him out of bed on walk day… teenagers!) to an active fundraiser, JDRF supporter, and best date for JDRF events and galas.

As irony would have it, in 2019, I met the love of my life, Hugh, because of JDRF. Mindlessly swiping through online dating pics, I landed on a photo of a guy wearing a JDRF Ride jersey. Boom! Hugh fundraises for his nephew (like Brad, also a T1D), just one of the many things we now share.

What is your favorite part about One Walk?

Hands down the camaraderie, energy and excitement of walk day, a day in September when it’s still warm but the whiff of change is in the air. Our family and friends really look forward to it so much so that this year, when I was late to the registration and fundraising game, my friend Gail, a B Teamer for years, texted me to get on the horn and send save the dates to the team.

The B Team always welcomes new members, including the four-legged variety, a tradition started by my son and his wife, Christina, when they brought their pom, Bisous, to the walk.

And I think we were virtual before that was even a thing being blessed with amazing supporters (Jill, Daria, Marla, Gordon, Florence, Renee, Melissa, Leslie, Sandra, Abbe, and Lisa come to mind) who, although they couldn’t join us live, have always walked right next to us in spirit.

Do you have any fundraising tips you’d like to share?

Each year when I begin fundraising, I start with the notion that everyone wants to help and go from there. I’ve not been proven wrong although some folks require a bit more follow up than others. I ask everyone I know, do business with, buy stuff from, etc. to donate. (Ask my dentist, Zac, who donates every year, usually writing a check after my annual cleaning!)

When we first started fundraising, I was fortunate to get hold of my high school’s graduating class email list (big shout out to my classmate Michael). The class of 19XX (I’ll never tell), has been among our most generous supporters since 2004.

My advice is to find an organization that you currently belong to or were associated with, get its membership list, and then reach out and tell your story. Again, people do really want to help. They just need to be asked.

In what other ways have you been involved with JDRF?

As a JDRF volunteer for many years, I’ve been honored to mentor walk teams, lobby members of Congress, travel the US sharing JDRF’s mission (the science it funds, and difference it has made), and since 2015, serve as Family Chair of the New York Chapter Walk. JDRF has been a lifeline for me.

And, while it’s serious business, every year we make Walk Day fun by whooping it up afterwards at the same downtown haunt, a tradition we’ll continue again this year on September 24!

Join The B Team and the rest of the local JDRF community at a One Walk this fall! Register your team today.