100 Families of Marin Band Together for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes

JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research., will hold it’s annual JDRF One Walk on the Great Meadow at Fort Mason in San Francisco on October 21, aiming to raise $1,000,000 to help fund critically needed T1D research. The event is expected to attract 1,500+ supporters, including teams representing local businesses, families, schools and other organizations. The JDRF One Walk brings together people who share JDRF’s vision to create a world without T1D for a day of inspiration and fun.

The fundraising team currently in the number one spot for this Walk is a group of passionate and dedicated parents of Marin County. They call themselves T1D Marin and they are more than 100 families strong. Since forming their team in 2015, T1D Marin has raised nearly $200,000 for JDRF. The dollars raised will enable research on how to prevent, treat and ultimately cure T1D. This research has led to life-changing drugs, treatments and devices, many of which have already moved into clinical trials and real-world testing.

Among the walkers will be Camille Borgo and her daughter Nyla Borgo, age eight, of San Anselmo. Nyla, pictured above giving a speech at last year's Walk, likes camping, reading, and having fun with her friends. She also has type 1 diabetes (T1D), diagnosed at the age of four. Nyla says, “I need to change my insulin pump every 2 days, my glucose monitor every week, and I need to always be paying attention to my blood sugar levels. The JDRF One Walk is a day where I am with many kids who have the same struggles as me. We are all working together to help one another. I like that.”

Adrea Tencer, who grew up in Mill Valley, is the 2018 T1D Marin team captain. They have already raised more than $30,000 with a goal of $60,000 for this year. Adrea says: “Having a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, or T1D, is a life-altering diagnosis for the entire family. Managing T1D is very complicated and the disease is often misunderstood by those who do not have a connection to it. For this reason, having a community of people who understand T1D is essentional. T1D Marin provides that community. I became the team captain for our Walk team because I want to do everything I can to help my daughter live a full, rich, and wonderful life. Living with this disease is not easy. I hope that with medical advancements funded by JDRF it can become easier and maybe one day she can live completely free from T1D .”

T1D Marin encourages people of all ages driven to support a great cause to participate in the JDRF One Walk and enjoy a day of family-friendly fun, with entertainment , food and refreshments. Pre-registration is recommended and on-site check-in begins at 9:00 AM on the Great Meadow at Fort Mason. The Walk begins at 11 AM and will be approximately 3 miles. To register please visit walk.jdrf.org/sf.

About T1D

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. T1D requires rigorous 24/7 monitoring of blood glucose levels to avoid devastating complications. T1D onset is sudden and unpreventable, and it is has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Their 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 billion in research funding since inception. They 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. JDRF collaborates with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Their staff and volunteers throughout the United States and six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit walk.jdrf.org/sf.

About T1D Marin

T1D Marin, founded by Marcena Hopkins Peterson in 2011, is a support group for families whose lives have been touched by type 1 diabetes (T1D). The group has monthly meetings, a lecture series, and family gatherings throughout the year. They offer great resource, advice, community (and a bit of levity) with this challenging and ever-changing condition. The group serves Marin and the greater North Bay with more than 100 members.