NEW YORK – November 1, 2019 — JDRF, the world’s largest private funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, is commemorating National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM) this November by raising awareness of T1D and the urgent need to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications.

JDRF has changed the way people live with T1D and this year, is launching a new campaign titled “T1D Champions. All Day. Every Day.” The theme celebrates the small, everyday wins in the lives of people in the T1D community, in addition to the big wins. T1D has symptoms that aren’t visible, and it requires constant management and treatment. Because of this, JDRF is raising awareness of the obstacles and risks that the T1D community overcome everyday by sharing stories on how innovation helps people living with T1D to manage their lives and supports them to be champions. Throughout the month, JDRF will feature stories of everyday champions across all organizational platforms, including JDRF.org/ndam, @JDRFHQ on Instagram, and @JDRF on Twitter.

“Staying on top of T1D takes the diligence, discipline, and resilience of a champion athlete, but people living with T1D are rarely celebrated in the same way,” said Aaron Kowalski, JDRF President and Chief Executive Officer. “Every day, the T1D community advocates for change. And JDRF works tirelessly alongside them to drive impact across research and advocacy. This work is helping to make both big and small differences in the lives of people with T1D.”

T1D is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease that can strike children and adults at any age. It requires rigorous 24/7 monitoring of blood glucose levels—even overnight—to avoid potentially lethal highs and lows in blood sugar, as well as other devastating complications like kidney, eye and nerve diseases. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset is sudden and is not related to diet or lifestyle. In T1D, the body’s immune system destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, meaning the body produces little to no insulin to regulate blood sugar and get energy from food. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it.

To learn more about T1D and JDRF’s commitment to a cure, please visit http://www.jdrf.org.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.2 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 six 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