Join me in the fight to create a world without type 1 diabetes!
My name is Ava Pietrzyk, and I am participating in the PGH half marathon in May. This year, I have decided to fundraise money towards Type I Diabetes research (Breakthrough T1D) in memory of my younger cousin, Sarah Durish. Sarah unexpectedly passed away in her sleep on February 21, 2025. She was deeply loved by her family and so many friends, and even had a major impact on her college community at Carlow University, where she was attending to study early childhood education. She was the president of Project SAFE at Carlow, an organization that works to support victims of and prevent domestic violence/abuse. Sarah also carried a diagnosis of Type I Diabetes and faced many challenges and set backs in relation to this diagnosis. She fought through some very tough situations with her diabetes but always kept her head up and worked hard to do what was needed to keep her condition under control. Sarah will be dearly missed by all her family and friends who love her. I would like to honor her memory by starting this fundraiser to donate money towards Type I Diabetes treatment breakthroughs and research.
Description
Welcome to my personal Team Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) fundraising page!
I have joined Team Breakthrough T1D to raise funds for the millions of people living with and affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D). The money I raise will help Breakthrough T1D fund critical research to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people's lives until no one has to fear developing the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone essential to the ability to get energy from food. It strikes both children and adults suddenly and changes life as they know it forever. It cannot be prevented and there is no cure.
Breakthrough T1D is the largest nongovernmental funder of T1D research and the only global organization with a strategic research plan to fight T1D. This science is complex and costly, and every dollar Breakthrough T1D is able to direct toward research comes from donors like you.
Please support me and donate to my fundraising campaign. Your gift will make a difference for millions of people affected by this devastating, life-threatening disease. Won't you please give to Breakthrough T1D as generously as possible today?
Thank you for your support!
Thank You Donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| May 13 | Loeffler | $107.35 |
| Apr 24 | Terry Pietrzyk | $25.00 |
| Apr 22 | Christine Martin | $54.10 |
| Mar 28 | Diann | $54.10 |
| Mar 28 | Cheryl | $54.10 |
| Mar 26 | Dan and Linda McCurdy | $54.10 |
| Mar 25 | Scott | Undisclosed amount |
| Mar 21 | Uncle Rol, Aunt Tine, Izzy, and Gigi | $27.48 |
| Mar 20 | Frank and Julie Rossetti | $27.48 |
| Mar 20 | Gram & Pap Gilbert | $107.35 |
