Breakthrough T1D to Bring Lubbock Community Together for Second Annual Walk Toward a Cure
Breakthrough T1D will bring the Lubbock Type 1 diabetes (T1D) community together this fall for its second annual Breakthrough T1D Lubbock Community Walk, taking place Saturday, Oct. 10, at Urbanovsky Park on the campus of Texas Tech University. The family-friendly event will bring together people living with T1D, their families, friends and community supporters to raise funds and awareness for a future without Type 1 diabetes.
A walk kick-off event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at First United Methodist Church, 1411 Broadway Street (administration wing on east side/Broadway entrance) in Lubbock. Participants may come and go throughout the afternoon to pick up walk materials and swag, enjoy back-to-school snacks and connect with others in the T1D community.
The walk is chaired by Sarah Adlis Benedetti and Dr. Tala Porter, who are helping grow the T1D support community in West Texas and build momentum for the event. The walk is particularly meaningful to both: Benedetti’s daughter, Stella, now age 8, was diagnosed with T1D at age 4, and Porter’s son, Steven, now 9, was diagnosed at age 7.
“When Stella was diagnosed, I was completely focused on taking care of her and figuring out what our new normal looked like,” Benedetti said. “Once we found the T1D community, we realized how important it is to have people who understand what you’re going through. We want families in West Texas to know they don’t have to navigate T1D alone.”
Porter’s connection to T1D began long before her son’s diagnosis.
“I grew up with my sister living with T1D from the age of 9 and quickly recognized my son’s symptoms,” said Dr. Porter, a pediatrician. “I empathize with my patients who tell me they have not had a full night of sleep since their children’s diagnoses – getting up in the night to check blood sugars. Our children look so typical, and no one sees the everyday rollercoaster they go through. When I first learned about Breakthrough T1D, I became part of a community who understands. When you face this life-changing diagnosis, you are not alone – whether you make a formal connection, a mom-to-mom connection or you just want to vent with someone on the phone, through Breakthrough T1D, we are there for each other – all just trying to keep our kids alive and as healthy as possible.”
Benedetti and Porter, along with other local families and volunteers, began building a West Texas Breakthrough T1D community in 2025. Their first gathering helped establish a local network for families affected by T1D and has grown into the annual Lubbock walk.
“Sarah and Tala are helping shine a much-needed light on type 1 diabetes in West Texas,” said Kristen Pool, chapter director for Breakthrough T1D. “They’ve taken what their families have experienced and used it to create awareness, connect other families, and grow a community that can support one another. Their leadership is helping more people understand that T1D can affect anyone, and that awareness can make a real difference for families.”
The inaugural Lubbock walk, held last year, attracted more than 100 participants and raised $8,000. This year, organizers hope to welcome 200 to 300 participants and raise $20,000 to support Breakthrough T1D’s mission.
The Oct. 10 walk will open at 10 a.m. at Urbanovsky Park at Texas Tech University, with activities, vendors, community resources, entertainment and family fun. The opening ceremony and T1D Champions Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the walk at 11 a.m.
New this year, participants will experience Pathway to Progress, with signage highlighting milestones in T1D research and demonstrating how far the community has come, from the first continuous glucose monitors to today’s latest research breakthroughs.
For families living with T1D, the walk is also an opportunity to celebrate the strength and resilience of those navigating the disease. The T1D Champions Parade will recognize people living with T1D and the number of years they have lived with the disease.
After Stella’s T1D diagnosis was initially missed at age 3, Benedetti became passionate about raising awareness of the warning signs of the disease. She hopes to help other families recognize the symptoms and understand that T1D can affect anyone, regardless of family history or stage of life. Half of people diagnosed each year are children and half are adults.
“Greater awareness can make such a difference,” Benedetti said. “We want people to recognize the signs and understand that T1D can happen to anyone. And we want families who are living with it to know there is a community here for them.”
More than 1.5 million Americans live with Type 1 diabetes, a number expected to rise to 2 million by 2040. Funds raised through the walk support Breakthrough T1D’s mission of accelerating breakthroughs that cure, treat and prevent T1D and its complications, as well as providing advocacy and educational programs that improve the lives of people living with the disease.
WHAT: Breakthrough T1D Lubbock Community Walk KICK OFF
WHEN: 2–4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29
WHERE: First United Methodist Church, 1411 Broadway Street, Lubbock
WHAT: Breakthrough T1D Lubbock Community WALK
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 10
WHERE: Urbanovsky Park, Texas Tech University
Walk Site Opens: 10 a.m.
Opening Ceremony/T1D Champions Parade: 10:30 a.m.
Walk Begins: 11 a.m.
EVENT COORDINATOR: Kristen Pool, [email protected], 254-722-1298
REGISTRATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: BreakthroughT1D.org
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