You have the opportunity to help us find a cure, to a permanent solution for the complex problems of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to a world that shines ever more brightly for all those who now face the daily burden of this disease. The Fund A Cure program is an example of how together we can arm JDRF – the largest funder of T1D research in the world – with the resources that nurture innovative ideas, prove their effectiveness in the lab and ultimately reach our loved ones in the form of a cure for T1D.

T1D is an autoimmune disease striking 3 million children and adults in the United States. Destroying the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, it causes lifelong dependence on injected insulin and carries the constant threat of devastating, life-threatening, complications. It requires intensive, never ending, 24/7 management. There are no days off and there is no cure.

JDRF's cure-focused research identifies therapies to restore a person's insulin producing capability and halt or reverse the body's misguided attack on the pancreas. JDRF-funded research has rapidly advanced results, for example:

• The Diabetes Research Institute is leading a project to improve the durability of transplanted insulin-producing cells while protecting them from the immune attack. Click here to read more about JDRF's new grant to DRI.

• JDRF's partnership with ViaCyte is testing a new insulin-producing cell source that will be encapsulated in a unique device. Click here to see a video about this groundbreaking pre-clinical research.

• Researchers are using clinical trials to test the effectiveness of using drug combinations to re-balance the immune system. Click here for a recap of cure research studies.

As we work together to deliver a cure, one face is inescapable: increased funding is essential.  Technology, clinical development and clinical trails are advancing fast than ever before, and so are their costs.  Please join us: give to Fund A Cure this year!