When Maisie Mische, a 22-year-old mechanical engineering student at Marquette University, started having trouble with her vision last year, she attributed the problem to eye fatigue from late-night studying. But two episodes of double vision and subsequent tests revealed something more complex: type 1 diabetes (T1D).

The Tremblay family (Laura, 2^nd from right; Bella, far left).

Laura Tremblay’s type 1 diabetes (T1D) journey began in 2018, when her 9-year-old daughter, Bella, was admitted to the hospital in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Like many families without a history of T1D, the Tremblays didn’t recognize the symptoms.

For 10-year-old Brynlee Clevenger, it was the possibility of helping other kids with type 1 diabetes (T1D) that prompted her to join a clinical trial.

With four boys who are active in multiple sports, the Ebners are a busy family. But when one of the Ebner sons was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the family made the time for T1D research.

Photo courtesy of JDRF Southern & Central Ohio Chapter

During what proved to be an unforgettable celebration by the JDRF community in Cincinnati, NFL Super Bowl Champion and Bengals offensive lineman Orlando Brown, Jr. encouraged relatives of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to get screened by TrialNet to help advance research.

Amber Van Den Heuvel received low-dose anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in 2015 as a participant in a TrialNet clinical study for people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Five years later, she still had beta cell function. Today, at age 26, Amber is encouraging people at high risk for T1D to consider participating in a TrialNet prevention study using the same therapy.

The Gilchrist family loves to read. When Emmie (pictured bottom right) was first diagnosed with T1D at age 4, Amanda asked her school librarian for all the books that had characters with T1D. There weren’t a lot. Now, when Amanda and Emmie meet authors (in person or online), they ask them to put characters with T1D into their next stories.

As we near the release of findings from the Abatacept Prevention Study, two participants share how their experiences in TrialNet research helped shape their futures.

Meet Orlando Brown, Jr.: You may recognize the Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle, also known as “Zeus”. It’s evident why, especially on the gridiron. More than 350 pounds of superhuman muscle and momentum sprinting downfield, Orlando inherited the name and strength of his father, also an NFL hero.

Meet Owen & Ella: As another modular plate locks into place Owen does a fist bump. Whenever he adds a new piece to enhance the armor on his super suit he loves making the pieces snap together, just like his favorite Legos. Always calm under pressure, Ella goes over detailed schematics for their next TrialNet T1D Heroes Academy mission.