Our Impact

From funding innovative research to advocating for government action to providing a support structure for our community, no other organization does more to fight type 1 diabetes (T1D) than JDRF.

Research

Our research investments deliver on the promise of making life with T1D better. We’ve championed technology with that goal in mind, from the first engineered insulin 40 years ago to recent advancements like artificial pancreas systems and more.

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Advocacy

Our powerhouse team in Washington, D.C., works with volunteers across the country to secure government support for innovative T1D research. Meanwhile, our experts collaborate with regulators and health plans to help the entire community benefit from treatments and therapies.

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"JDRF has supported me in many ways in various aspects throughout my life. It’s not just about raising funds and advancing science, it’s about supporting families. It’s about advocacy and getting CGM [continuous glucose monitoring] approved for the Medicare population. And it’s about this amazing network of individuals, who are brought together for a joint cause they are passionate about.”

Jennifer Sherr, M.D., Ph.D., Yale School of Medicine, JDRF-funded Researcher

The Outlook has Never Been Better

JDRF has changed the way we live with T1D. Everyday, we are learning more about the disease in an effort to end it once and for all.

Insulins

Then

Less than 50 years ago, insulins were derived from animals, and dosing was wildly inconsistent.

A close-up of an old-fashioned syringe loaded with insulin

Now

Synthetic insulins with a range of speeds and durations offer the precision and flexibility to better balance blood-sugar levels.

A small, black zip-up pouch containing a syringe, a modern glucose monitoring device, and a small container of synthetic insulin

Pumps

Then

50 years ago, a prototype insulin pump was so large it had to be worn like a backpack.

A large, cumbersome backpack-style insulin pump from 50 years ago

Now

Compact insulin pumps fit easily in a pocket—and they’ve gotten smarter too.

A woman raises the hem of her shirt to show a compact insulin pump attached to her lower back

Biomarkers

Then

30 years ago, there was no way to predict if someone would develop T1D.

Now

It is possible to detect T1D before symptoms arise, avoiding adverse side effects.

A female researcher in a lab studies a vile of blood while standing in front of a sophisticated microscope

Beta Cell Biology

Then

For decades, experts believed that beta cells stopped functioning altogether within a few years of T1D onset.

Now

We know beta cells continue to function even after decades with T1D, and it might be possible to cure T1D by preserving or expanding these beta cells.

A flat, thin, oval-shaped beta cell capsule is shown next to a U.S. quarter, which is about one-fourth the length of the device

Diabetic Eye Disease

Then

35 years ago, the risk of vision loss from diabetic eye disease was 50 percent.

A black-and-while photo of a doctor using an antiquated machine to study a patient's eyses

Now

State-of-the-art care has cut the risk to 5 percent, and therapies to eliminate the remaining risk are in development.

A doctor in a while lab coat uses a sophisticated machine with a screen to view an image of a woman's eye

You Too Can Make a Difference

Without clinical trial volunteers, promising new therapies can’t get approved, and into the hands of people who need them. You can help by participating in a trial near you.

Join a Clinical Trial

A Leader With Leverage

For every $1 from JDRF, another $2.20 is invested in T1D Research.

When you give to JDRF, you help unlock millions of additional dollars for T1D research.

Donors Like You | $113.5 million

In the last year, JDRF supporters raised $108 million for T1D research by attending a Gala, fundraising for One Walk, or making a cash donation. Additional investment from T1D fund brought our research investment to $113.5M.
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NGOs and Charities | $22 million

When JDRF backs research, nonprofits follow our lead. The Helmsley Charitable Trust partnered with us to launch the most comprehensive kids T1D screening program yet.
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Corporations | $49 million

Our influence in the private sector extends from the healthcare industry to tech giants. Recently, IBM and JDRF developed and applied machine learning to years of global research data to identify factors leading to the onset of T1D in children.
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U.S. and International Governments | $178 million

When JDRF speaks, Washington listens. Following a campaign by JDRF and our supporters, U.S. Congress agreed to spend $150 million on T1D research as part of the Special Diabetes Program.
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Watch Your Gift Grow

Your donation to JDRF is the crucial first step in the quest for a cure.

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Donors Like You | $113.5 million

NGOs and Charities | $22 million

Corporations | $49 million

U.S. and International Governments | $178 million