JDRF is the only global organization with a strategic research plan to end type 1 diabetes (T1D). Our plan ensures that there will be an ongoing stream of life-changing therapies moving from development through to commercialization that lessen the impact of T1D. We want to keep people with T1D healthy and safe today until we reach our ultimate goal of a cure and universal prevention of T1D.
JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners at every stage of the drug delivery pipeline and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a strategic plan to deliver a world without T1D. JDRF’s influence and leadership extends beyond funding research. We strategically partner with industry, governments, foundations, academia and clinicians, because curing T1D is a global, coordinated effort with JDRF at the center.
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our strength lies in our exclusive focus and singular influence on the worldwide effort to end T1D.
Vision: A world without type 1 diabetes
Mission: Accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications
Why we fight type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults suddenly. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent it. And, at present, there is no cure.
In T1D, your pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone the body needs to get energy from food. This means a process your body does naturally and automatically becomes something that now requires your daily attention and manual intervention. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance these insulin doses with your eating and activity throughout the day and night.
However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Even with the most vigilant disease management, a significant portion of your day will be spent with either high or low blood-sugar levels. These fluctuations place people with T1D at risk for potentially life-threatening hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes as well as devastating long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, blindness and amputation. Learn more about T1D.
JDRF wants a world without T1D
JDRF works every day to change the reality of this disease for millions of people—and to prevent anyone else from ever knowing it—by funding research, advocating for government support of research and new therapies, ensuring new therapies come to market and connecting and engaging the T1D community. Founded by parents determined to find a cure for their children with T1D, JDRF expanded through grassroots fundraising and advocacy efforts to become a powerhouse in the scientific community with dozens of U.S. locations and six international affiliates. We’ve funded more than $2 billion in research to date and made significant progress in understanding and fighting the disease. We must keep up the pace of funding so progress doesn’t slow or stop entirely.
You’re the reason for our success.
Every dollar we put toward research comes from donations. So when you support JDRF with your time, talent, voice and, yes, your money, you enable us to advance even more research.
There are many ways to join the JDRF family, but for 47 years there has been only one reason—because we are the organization that will turn Type One into Type None.
