Type 1 ACTION
Funding the Next Three Patients
For millions of people living with Type 1 diabetes, every day is a relentless balancing act. Every meal, every workout, every night’s sleep requires constant calculation, vigilance, and fear of life-threatening hypoglycemia.
Today, groundbreaking clinical research is proving that another future is possible.
The Silverstein Dream Foundation’s Type 1 Action Initiative was created to help transform that possibility into reality by funding patient access to life-changing clinical trials and accelerating the path toward a world without Type 1 diabetes.
Our immediate commitment is ambitious and urgent:
Fund treatment for three additional patients in the University of Chicago/Eledon Clinical Trial during 2026.
These patients have been identified because they suffer from severe, life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes that dramatically impact their quality of life.
By supporting Type 1 Action, you are not simply funding research—you are helping provide direct access to treatment for patients whose lives may be transformed.
A Story of Hope: Katie Beth Hand
When Katie Beth Hand was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she never imagined life without insulin.
For 13 years, every day revolved around blood sugar management.
As the mother of four children and the wife of a firefighter working 48-hour shifts, she often kept her glucose intentionally high because she feared experiencing severe lows while caring for her family.
Sleep became anxiety.
Every night she wondered if she would wake up.
After one particularly exhausting night of dangerous blood sugar swings, Katie searched online for clinical trials and enrolled herself in the University of Chicago islet transplantation study.
On January 13, 2026, she underwent a minimally invasive procedure lasting less than one hour.
Within days she no longer required basal insulin.
By March 3, she had completely stopped taking insulin.
Today her glucose levels remain remarkably stable—typically between 70–100 mg/dL—without insulin.
For the first time in thirteen years, she removed her continuous glucose monitor.
She later described the moment through tears, realizing she no longer needed the device that had represented safety for so many years.
Today, she says she leaves home carrying only her phone and her keys.
Perhaps her most powerful reflection is simply:
“My head is so quiet now.”
The constant calculations that dominated every minute of every day are finally gone.
Katie also speaks openly about the extraordinary gift that made her new life possible, honoring her organ donor and advocating responsibly for realistic hope. She reminds families that progress is real, while emphasizing that widespread access still requires significant work.
Today she serves as the Silverstein Dream Foundation’s Diabetes Health Ambassador and will deliver the keynote address at the Foundation’s Hamptons Garden Gala on August 8, helping inspire others to accelerate access to life-changing therapies.
Why More Patients Still Cannot Receive This Treatment
While islet transplantation has become an established treatment option in several countries—including Canada, much of Europe, and Australia—it remains available to only a limited number of patients in the United States.
The primary barriers include:
Limited donor islet availability
Regulatory challenges
High development and treatment costs
Restricted access to specialized clinical trials
Although scientific breakthroughs continue to demonstrate remarkable outcomes, thousands of patients remain unable to receive these therapies.
This is where philanthropy becomes essential.
The Silverstein Dream Foundation Commitment
The Silverstein Dream Foundation was founded from a deeply personal journey.
Founder Patricia Silverstein witnessed her younger sister, who had lived with Type 1 diabetes since childhood, develop kidney failure before ultimately receiving a life-saving kidney-pancreas transplant through the guidance of Dr. Camillo Ricordi and the Diabetes Research Institute.
That experience inspired a lifelong commitment to helping others gain access to life-saving treatments.
Today, SDF has committed $500,000 to support the treatment of three additional patients through the University of Chicago/Eledon clinical trial.
This commitment was established directly with Dr. Piotr Witkowskiand Eledon Pharmaceuticals, with the shared goal of expanding access for patients experiencing severe hypoglycemic episodes.
Every dollar raised through Type 1 Action helps bring another patient one step closer to receiving transformative treatment.
Help Change the Next Three Lives
Research has already shown what is possible.
Now we must ensure more patients can benefit.
By supporting the Silverstein Dream Foundation, you become part of a movement dedicated to accelerating access to breakthrough therapies, funding clinical innovation, and restoring hope for families living with Type 1 diabetes.
Together, we can help fund treatment for three more patients—and move one step closer to a future where no one has to live under the constant burden of Type 1 diabetes.
Join the Type 1 Action movement. Help change a life today.