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There are 1.5 million people in the U.S. living with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Nearly 200,000 of the people living with type 1 diabetes in the US are under the age of 20.
What’s more,13% of Latinos in the U.S. have T1D.
“The prevalence of type 1 diabetes is increasing across all populations, most significantly among Hispanic youth,” according to Breakthrough T1D.
This shows the importance of access to educational tools and resources to help Latinos and families navigate type 1 diabetes and that’s where Breakthrough T1D can help.
Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) is the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization. With a mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications, no organization does more to improve everyday life for the people who face it.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
T1D is defined as a chronic autoimmune disease. This means that it doesn’t go away. Anyone can be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at any age.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an immune system’s attack on insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Insulin is an essential hormone that helps the body turn food into energy.
That’s why people living with T1D must take insulin by injection or insulin pump to survive.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include:
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst and dry mouth
- Increased appetite
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
From the day of diagnosis to daily life decades later, Breakthrough T1D supports and connects people in the T1D community. Whether you’re interested in joining an educational summit, in need of advice from someone who’s been there, or are looking for resources —to learn T1D basics, how to educate others about T1D, and where to find more information and support—Breakthrough T1D is ready to help, at any age or stage of T1D. Let’s dive deeper into the resources that Breakthrough T1D can provide for families and the community.
1. Free T1D Resource Packs
The Breakthrough T1D Bag of Hope™ is for children 11 years and younger and their caregivers provides material including:
- Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes, Powered by Breakthrough T1D, a cuddly companion with special patches to help children become more comfortable with injecting insulin. Rufus also interacts with a free companion mobile app that provides additional educational opportunities.
- Introductory guides and handbooks to help families understand type 1 diabetes
- Storybooks for children to help them learn about living with type 1 diabetes.
Parents and caregivers can request the Bag of Hope here.
This resource is also available in bilingual format with materials in Spanish and English and can be accessed here.
Breakthrough T1D Teen Packs for teens between 12 -17 years old are also include introductory guide and additional gifts like a pouch to help you organize diabetes supplies, stickers, and more.
Requests for a Teen Pack can be made here and can be accessed in bilingual format here.
Breakthrough T1D Adult Packs contain support including educational guides, overviews on type 1 diabetes, and additional information on Breakthrough T1D and how you can get involved.
Request an Adult Pack here and order bilingual materials here.
2. Bilingual Educational Videos
Breakthrough T1D has a selection of bilingual videos on several topics related to T1D including insulin, low blood sugar, T1D symptoms, causes, and more.
Videos in English can be found here.
Spanish-language videos can be accessed here.
There are also videos that explore topics like clinical trials and screening and early detection, available in English and Spanish.
3. Spanish Language Virtual Community Summits
Breakthrough T1D also provides free Spanish- language educational events, which are streamed live on the organization’s social media platforms, that cover a wide variety of topics relevant to the T1D community.
All participants are welcome to join and there is no registration required to participate.
Attendants are encouraged to join the platform of choice at the time of the event and can choose from:
Additionally, Breakthrough T1D has a Spanish language Instagram account.
Other bilingual resources like one-pagers and videos on topics like mental health and nutrition are available.
2026 Spanish virtual Community Summit programming for Breakthrough T1D can be found here.
Breakthrough T1D’s next Spanish session, “Type 1 Diabetes in the School Setting: Strategies to Support Learning and Daily Care,” will take place on Wednesday, July 22, at 6 p.m. ET.
Recordings of previous sessions can be found here.
Breakthrough T1D also offers expert-led conversations in English, called Voices of T1D, that help live full and healthy lives with T1D. Find the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
Find Health Issues in Your Community
The complete Breakthrough T1D website can be accessed in English and Spanish.
Breakthrough T1D has local chapters throughout the U.S. that serve as the hub of information and events in your area. Connect with them to find support and community. How does type 1 diabetes impact people in your community?
Learn more by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your town!
Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health, and more.
See how your county stacks up compared to the rest of your state and nation.
Then email the Report Card to local leaders to raise awareness, include the data in a presentation or grant proposal, or share it on social media to drive healthy changes in your community!
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