Raelynn Boggs, age 10, of Painter, Virginia is one of 170 youth from across the U.S. to advocate for type 1 diabetes community in Washington, D.C.

Washington, DC, July 1, 2025— A student from Painter, Virginia was chosen by Breakthrough T1D, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, to join a delegation of their peers and celebrity advocates in Washington, DC at Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress from July 7-9. Raelynn Boggs will join 170 other youth from across the country to meet with their members of Congress and other key decision makers to inform them of the critical role they can play in supporting the T1D community.

Throughout the event, these youth, ages 4 to 17, will participate in leadership and character-building programming, interact with T1D role models, and engage in a number of activities on Capitol Hill, including attending a Senate hearing featuring personal testimonies that highlight the challenges of living with T1D and the need for continued Federal funding through the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) and accelerating cell therapies.

Joining the U.S. delegates are five international delegates traveling from Australia, Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Together, the delegates will convey to the Federal government that T1D is a global issue that requires a global response.

“Every day these youth and their parents face the burden of type 1 diabetes, and by sharing their stories they become powerful advocates in the fight to end this disease,” said Jaclyn Toll, Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Breakthrough T1D. “Children’s Congress empowers youth living with type 1 diabetes to speak with a unified voice to urge Federal leaders to support the entire T1D community.”

Raelynn, who was diagnosed with T1D at age 7, was selected for her leadership and commitment to advocating on behalf of the estimated 1.5 million people living with T1D in the U.S.

Read more about Raelynn’s journey here.

About Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress

Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress was inspired by a boy from Massachusetts named Thom Solo. One day, at age nine, he asked his mother, “Why can’t kids go to Washington and tell their Representatives about what it’s like to have type 1 diabetes and let them know that we want scientists to find a cure?” His mom and other leadership volunteers agreed, and, in 1999, the first-ever Children’s Congress took place in Washington, D.C. Since then, more than 1,000 kids with T1D have served as delegates, and the event has been essential to securing continued government funding for T1D research and raising awareness of the daily burden experienced by people living with this serious autoimmune disease.

Delegates form lifelong friendships, meet T1D role models, develop leadership skills, and leave Children’s Congress empowered to use their voices to power progress on the path to cures. To learn more about Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress, visit: cc.breakthrought1d.org.

About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF

As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition.

About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D.