Age: 8
Age at T1D diagnosis: 2

When Rebecca was diagnosed with T1D at age two, her physician said that a cure for the disease would likely be found within her lifetime. Rebecca and her family have held fast to that hope. “A cure is not a wish,” says her mom, Wendy. “It’s a ‘When will it be here?’ question for us.”

One way Rebecca helps to educate her friends is by managing her T1D in the classroom—pricking her finger to check her blood-glucose level and administering insulin through her pump. In turn, Rebecca’s Girl Scout troop supports her JDRF Walk team, which has raised more than $100,000 for T1D research. Rebecca loves hula hooping, riding her bike, and playing with her dog, Jackson. When she grows up, she hopes to be a teacher, vet, singer, or dancer.