-The first-ever national diabetes education virtual symposium connected the T1D Community to discuss key issues, scientific progression and celebrate perseverance-

September 28, 2020, New York—On Saturday, September 26, JDRF, the leading global funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, hosted its first-ever National TypeOneNation Virtual Summit.

The event, which is traditionally held in-person in local markets across the country, has been reimagined into a national virtual event featuring fireside chats, symposiums, Q&A sessions, meet & greets, and entertainment. Key moments from this year’s event included:

• Welcome Address featuring JDRF President and CEO Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph. D., and special guests, Grammy-nominated artist and hit songwriter Eric Paslay, followed by an inspiring live chat with actor Derek Theler and world champion stand-up paddler and windsurfer Fiona Wylde, who talked about overcoming the challenges of T1D and living a full, robust life in the face of the disease.
• Singer, songwriter and bassist Este Haim, one-third of the Grammy -nominated band HAIM, discussed the psychosocial aspects of T1D, mental health awareness and how she balances her career, travel and a rigorous schedule, while managing T1D, during an interview live chat with T1D champion and CNN correspondent Cristina Alesci.
• Round table discussion “Health Inequity and T1D” featuring black members of the Diabetes Online Community, hosted by Beyond Type 1
• Inspirational music duo and NBC’s “The Voice,” season 17 finalists Hello Sunday performed and sat down to a chat with entertainment and music industry magnate Vivian Scott Chew.
• Spanish-language panel discussion “Knowing When to Ask for Help: Mental Health & Parenting T1D”
• Exhibitor Halls featuring representatives and resources from Lilly Diabetes, Abbott, Dexcom, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk, Omnipod, Tandem, and Xeris/Gvoke
• Research updates from JDRF Vice President of Research Sanjoy Dutta, Ph. D., Trial Net, Joslin Diabetes Center, and more.

To kick-off the event, JDRF- BT1 Alliance partner Beyond Type 1 hosted a virtual happy hour on Friday, bringing together the T1D young adult community for a night of fun, trivia, laughs and fellowship.

Recordings and recaps of the entire TypeOneNation Summit day of learning are freely accessible to people of all ages and T1D connections online through the JDRF portal.

For more information on TypeOne Nation, please visit https://www.jdrf.org/community/typeonenation/.

About JDRF

JDRF’s mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF