November marks National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM), a time for the world to come together to shed light on a chronic disease that affects millions of individuals and their families and friends.

This year, we’re showing off how we’re moving Forward for Type 1 Diabetes.

This year’s movement celebrates how we’re moving Forward in progress and innovation that is propelling us toward life-changing breakthroughs. Forward celebrates the progress we’ve made and the progress that’s to come. Forward reminds us to think about what and who this progress is FOR: FOR awareness for type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the burden of managing this disease; FOR the community and every loved one, caregiver and healthcare provider that helps us live without limits; FOR better health with new therapies, advancements and technology; FOR accelerating cures and life-changing breakthroughs for everyone living with this disease; and FOR so much more.

From #T1Day on November 1 to #WorldDiabetesDay on November 14, there are so many ways to make your voice heard and help JDRF move #ForwardAs1 this NDAM:

• Sign up to be an Advocate and follow us on socials @JDRFAdvocacy to see the latest on our efforts to advocate for continued federal research funding and policies to support affordability, choice and coverage.
• Apply to join JDRF’s Advocates in Action Council! This group of young adults ages 18 to 26 are business professionals, community leaders and engaged students passionate about actively supporting the advancement of JDRF’s advocacy priority areas, spread awareness of T1D in their communities and inspire youth to use their voices to share their stories. Applications close at midnight on November 30! Need not have T1D to apply.
• Help JDRF move cures Forward with every mile you walk, ride, run or game!
  • Visit walk.jdrf.org to register for a local One Walk or donate to a team.
  • Visit ride.jdrf.org to sign up for a JDRF Ride, which can be done Your Way at home or at one of our many destination rides across the country.
  • Create your own fundraiser, leveraging one of your many talents or passions.
  • Help spread awareness with the Game2Give community by taking to Twitch, YouTube and other platforms.
• Join JDRF for this month’s TypeOneNation Virtual Summit, T1D Across the Globe. In recognition of NDAM, JDRF leaders around the world will be focusing on progress in T1D management and innovations, leading T1D experts and JDRF’s global affiliates.
• Sign up to be a Mountain West volunteer and become an active part of the movement that will find cures for T1D.
• This year’s 2023 Children’s Congress Delegates represented 49 states, as well as our international affiliates in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Over 150 youth leaders met face-to-face with federal decision-makers in Washington, D.C. to talk about important issues facing the T1D community. Join us in celebrating this extraordinary class of delegates here.

Take advantage of ways to support NDAM within the Mountain West community:

• Apply to be a Mountain West Youth Ambassador! Youth ages 5-18 living with T1D in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming are invited to apply for the 2024 term of Mountain West Youth Ambassadors! Youth Ambassadors play an important role in supporting JDRF’s mission by increasing awareness of T1D in their communities; volunteering for activities that fund mission work; and learning valuable leadership skills. Applications close at 11:59pm MT on November 30!
• Register for TypeOneNation Summit! Join us on the morning of Saturday, November 11 in Sandy for a free event offering education, inspiration and connection for the Utah T1D community.
• Get involved in the 2024 Mountain West Dream Gala!
  • Join the auction committee and help us collect auction items for attendees to bid on.
  • Volunteer to help us set up, get guests registered, check out auction items and break down at the end of the night.
  • Sponsor a table or purchase tickets. Do you work for a great company? We’d love their support and can provide marketing benefits.

For every person living with T1D and those who love them, looking Forward is what fuels our vision and mission to cure, prevent and treat this disease and its complications. Join us this November as we move Forward for a world without T1D.

Let’s move #ForwardAs1!