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The Student News Site of Millard West High School

The Catalyst
The Student News Site of Millard West High School

The Catalyst
The Student News Site of Millard West High School

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Walk for a cure

2024 JDRF/Breakthrough event happened at Mahoney State Park
Wyatt Carmichael, Staff Reporter
October 17, 2024
Wyatt Carmichael
Seventh grader Mae Carmichael and her family get ready to begin the JDRF/Breakthrough walk at Mahoney State Park. The walk began at the activities center and the course was two miles and finished near the sledding hills. “This year’s walk was really fun because my cousin brought his dog,” Mae Carmichael said. ”We were also able to get snacks and drinks throughout the walk so we were able to stay hydrated and not go hungry.”

The weekend of September 29th the Breakthrough Type 1 diabetes walk was held out in Ashland, Neb at Mahoney State Park. The walk is a fundraiser hosted every year by BreakThrough, formally known as JDRF. The event helps raise money to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and helps people support their friends and family with T1D and learn about chronic disease.

This year the walk was two miles long through the paved paths of Mahoney State Park, and a total of $295,381 was raised from the walk. The top team raised $27,800 and the second team raised $10,402. There were vendors handing out free snacks and drinks for the walkers to stay hydrated and not go hungry. 

“I have participated in the JDRF/Breakthrough T1D walk for four years,” senior Nolan Gomes said. “My favorite part of the walk is being able to come together as a community of Type 1 diabetics and celebrate how far every one of us has come.”

Any member of the public is welcome to be involved with the walk and to support the individuals with T1D. The walk also offers many fun activities such as bounce houses, obstacle courses and different types of Artwork. You can also go get your pictures with a variety of Star Wars and Marvel characters.

“My cousin has type 1 diabetes and we have been doing the walk for about three years now” senior Brady McDonnell said. “I always enjoy doing the walk, because we get together as a family and it’s a good way to support my cousin.”

Every year the walk gets bigger and bigger, which allows for more money to be raised. All of the money that is raised goes to helping find a cure to the chronic disease and helping people with T1D get the help they need and deserve.

“I definitely look forward to the JDRF/Breakthrough walk every year and it is always a good time,” Seventh grader Mae Carmichael said. “Seeing everyone else that has the same thing as me helps me push through when the days are hard and my family and friends are always helping support me.”

Breakthrough T1D does a very good job of helping people raise money for the chronic disease as well as helping people gain a better understanding of people who have the disease. It has raised millions of dollars in past years and has helped scientists be able to continue to try and find a cure for the chronic disease and help people who are currently living with Type 1 diabetes.

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About the Contributor
Wyatt Carmichael
Wyatt Carmichael, Staff Reporter
Wyatt is a senior here at Millard West High School. This is his third year in a Journalism class. He is a videographer and photographer for NebPreps and has been doing camera work outside of school for about two years now. He enjoys watching sports, playing sports with friends and fishing and hunting.