From JDRF (JDRF was formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It was shortened to JDRF years ago because adults also are diagnosed and live with type 1 diabetes. The organization no longer uses the term “juvenile”):

Two Richmond/Sunset Kids to Represent California at JDRF 2023 Children’s Congress

in Washington D.C. this summer to advocate for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D)

Zosia Mosur, age 14, and Lucca Ford-Pisano, age 11 will meet face to face with nation’s leaders and attend a Senate hearing

Zosia Mosur, age 14 of Richmond District, and Lucca Ford-Pisano, age 11 of Sunset District, were chosen by JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, to join a delegation of their peers and celebrity advocates in Washington, D.C., this summer at JDRF 2023 Children’s Congress from July 9-11. They will join more than 160 other youth from across the country to meet with their Members of Congress and other key decisionmakers to inform them of the critical role they can play in supporting the T1D community. 

These kids, all of whom have T1D, will engage in a number of activities on Capitol Hill including attending a Senate hearing to share personal testimonies that highlight the challenges of living with the disease. 

These young delegates will call on their Members of Congress to renew the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) which provides $150 million annually for type 1 diabetes research at the National Institute of Health. The last renewal was in 2020 for three years. It runs out in September 2023 and the kids will ask Congress to support a multi-year renewal. This funding has helped accelerate research like the development of artificial pancreas systems which link an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitor for better management of T1D.

Delegates will also advocate for insulin affordability for all Americans. People with T1D need insulin to live. Unfortunately, the cost of insulin is out of reach for many people with T1D. Advocates will call on Congress to ensure that everyone has access to insulin at a low, predictable out-of-pocket cost, regardless of insurance status.

About Zosia Mosur, age 14, diagnosed with T1D at age 11

Zosia has a passion for writing, especially poetry. She also loves to play violin and listen to live music. Aside from an appreciation for the arts, Zosia enjoys learning about important topics like politics and religion. Zosia is very outspoken about the issues impacting people with T1D—she appeared on live television with her Representative, Nancy Pelosi, to talk about the importance of health insurance coverage for everyone. Shortly after her T1D diagnosis, Zosia became a JDRF Youth Ambassador and has raised money through the JDRF One Walk. She also participated in a clinical trial, and says the experience was “incredible.” Zosia hopes that, through advocacy, “people like me don’t have to consider financials just to stay alive.”

About Lucca Ford-Pisano, age 11, diagnosed with T1D at age 1

Lucca Ford-Pisano likes to stay active with fencing, playing dodgeball, and going to the park with his friends. He’s become a pro at overcoming challenges—not just T1D, but also dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD. Lucca recently gave a presentation, educating his classmates and teachers on what it’s like to have T1D. He says, “It can sometimes be hard to have T1D because your friends may know about it but have no experience with it.” 

Lucca and his family do all they can to help find a cure for T1D, and they don’t plan on stopping! Lucca’s dad is a longtime JDRF Rider and Ride Coach for the Ride to Cure Diabetes, and his family has participated in the JDRF One Walk events and Galas since Lucca’s diagnosis at age 1.

About JDRF Children’s Congress

The JDRF Children’s Congress T1D advocacy program was inspired by a boy from Massachusetts named Tommy Solo. One day, at age nine, he asked his mother, “Why can’t kids go to Washington and tell their Representatives about what it is like to have type 1 diabetes and let them know that we want scientists to find a cure?” His mom and other JDRF volunteers agreed and, in 1999, the first-ever JDRF Children’s Congress took place in Washington, D.C. Since then, 11 successful Children’s Congresses have been held, one every other year, and more than 1,000 kids with T1D have served as Delegates. JDRF Children’s Congress has been essential to securing continued government funding of T1D research and to raise awareness of the daily burden of Americans living with this serious autoimmune disease. Learn more at http://cc.jdrf.org/.

About JDRF

JDRF’s mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. JDRF is an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally and globally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a global stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. JDRF collaborates with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement, and our vision of a world without T1D.  

For more information, please visit jdrf.org.

About T1D

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone people need to get energy from food. T1D strikes both children and adults, and its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. People with T1D depend on external insulin, via injection or infusion with an insulin pump, to survive. Approximately 1.5 million Americans have T1D and there currently is no cure.