MORGANTOWN – The Breakthrough T1D Walk to raise money for Type 1 diabetes research and education returns to town on Aug. 17, at the track and field complex at Mylan Park.
Emily Smaniotto, Diabetes Education Center coordinator for WVU Medicine, coordinates the walk and said WVUM is an event sponsor.
The walk raises money for Breakthrough T1D – formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and renamed to include all people living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Breakthrough T1D provides WVUM with educational materials that the Education Center hands out at WVU Medicine Children’s for newly diagnosed patients.
The walk is known as a community walk, she said, and is entirely volunteer driven. This is the second annual walk.
“Last year we raised over $110,000, which broke the national record of any community walk ever.”
Last year, 120 people registered to participate but more than 350 showed up. So far this year, 125 have registered and they’re hoping to have 500 participate. The fundraising goal this year is $150,000. As of Tuesday afternoon, they’d raised $89,679, according to the walk website.
Anyone who wants to donate or participate individually or as part of a team can go to the website, walk.breakthrought1d.org/morgantown, to sign up and learn more.
It’s a 2-mile walk. Free beverages and snacks will be offered, and food trucks will be on site. Along with the walk, activities will include a DJ, raffle tables and a dunk tank.
Registration and activities will start at 10 a.m., followed by the opening ceremony at 11 and the parade and walk at 11:30.
