Age: 16
Age at T1D diagnosis: 2

All of the kids in Emily’s family live with T1D. Emily, her older sister and her younger brother have all been diagnosed with the disease. “Helping find a cure for diabetes has been a main priority for my family,” she says. Their family walks in JDRF Walks each year under one of the cleverest team names out there—”3 Coffeys, No Sugar”—and has raised $260,000 in funds for T1D research. “My family and I will not stop fundraising until a cure is found—and maybe not even then!” When she isn’t focused on spreading T1D awareness, Emily is busy dancing with the Peoria Ballet (she has even appeared in “The Nutcracker”) and volunteering with a local animal shelter that helps foster pets find loving homes.

READ EMILY’S LATEST NEWS:

Peoria teen Emily Coffey will take diabetes cause to Capitol Hill