Sixteen-year-old Will Gilbert of Greensboro to Represent North Carolina at 2019 JDRF Children’s Congress

 

He will join 160 other kids in meeting face-to-face with Members of Congress and advocating

for type 1 diabetes research during the biannual event, running July 8-10

 

Will can be available for interviews before and after Children’s Congress

Greensboro, North Carolina, July 2, 2019 – Will Gilbert, a rising junior at Northwest Guilford High School, is headed to Washington, D.C., this weekend for JDRF’s 2019 Children’s Congress, which will take place on Capitol Hill from July 8 – 10.

More than 160 kids and teens, ages 4 to 17 and representing all 50 states, will attend Children’s Congress, where they will participate in a number of activities. Their objective is to help Members of Congress understand what life is like with T1D and to underscore the importance of continued federal funding of T1D research projects—including the Special Diabetes Program (SDP)—that could reduce the burden of type 1 diabetes and ultimately lead to a cure.

 

Joining Will and the other U.S. delegates will be five international delegates traveling from Australia, Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Collectively, the delegates will convey a clear message to U.S. lawmakers that T1D is a global problem that requires a coordinated, global response.

 

As the future of healthcare is being debated in the halls of Congress and across America, Will will share his own story of life with T1D—a “pre-existing condition”—with U.S. Senators and Representatives. Will, who was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 15 months, said, “I believe that bringing awareness to type 1 diabetes is very important due to the physical complications that occur and the emotional toll and financial burden it brings.” He continued, “At all times I wear my insulin pump as well as a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that shows me what my blood sugar is every minute of the day. I still have to test my blood sugar around four times a day, and I have to change my two inserted medical devices once or twice a week. This adds up to a lot of needle sticks and finger pricks! On top of that, I have to count every carbohydrate I eat and make decisions on how much insulin I take every day. T1D never goes away, and I never get a break.” Learn more about Will at cc.jdrf.org/delegates/will-4/.

 

Follow Will and the other Children’s Congress delegates by visiting cc.jdrf.org or using the hashtag #JDRFCC19. See a video with highlights from the 2017 Children’s Congress at vimeo.com/248200787.

 

 

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About Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood-sugar levels. T1D develops when the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system. The cause of this attack is still being researched; however, scientists believe the cause may have genetic and environmental components. T1D affects children and adults, and people can be diagnosed at any age. As of now, there is nothing anyone can do to prevent T1D, and there is no cure.

 

About JDRF Children’s Congress: In 1999, then eight-year-old Tommy Solo from Massachusetts overheard adult JDRF volunteers talking about going to Washington, D.C., to talk to Members of Congress about T1D, and he thought it was important for kids to go, too, and make their voices heard. JDRF Children’s Congress inspires national lawmakers to remember the children who live with T1D when making decisions about medical research funding and voting on other important issues relating to diabetes. The young delegates’ personal stories—told in their own words—are often more powerful than any other type of education legislators and Congressional staffers receive. Tommy’s vision became JDRF Children’s Congress, an event that has been held every other year since 1999. Learn more at cc.jdrf.org/.

 

About JDRF: JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to improve lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $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. Learn more at jdrf.org or @JDRF on Twitter.

 

About JDRF – Piedmont Triad Chapter: Covering 15 North Carolina counties, the Piedmont Triad Chapter provides support for those living with type 1 diabetes by convening educational and networking sessions such as the annual TypeOneNation Summit, and raises awareness and funds for T1D research through a variety of events, including our annual Hope Gala; One Walks in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Alamance County, and High Point; the Ride to Cure Diabetes; and the Tennis to Tent to Tee event in Pinehurst. Learn more at jdrf.org/triad, facebook.com/jdrftriad, or @JDRFtriad on Twitter.