Age: 15
Age at T1D diagnosis: 11

Samuel refuses to let T1D slow him down. This competitive athlete excels in cycling, soccer, swimming, surfing, mountain biking, and running. He placed second in his age group in the Canberra Times 10K race, raising more than $5,800 for JDRF. His next challenge? Raising global awareness at Children’s Congress. “The number of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is rapidly increasing at a very high rate each year, not only in Australia but all across the world … A cure would help not only me, but also thousands of others around the world who deal with this disease every day of their lives like I do.”

In addition to athletics, Samuel enjoys reading inspiring true stories, drawing, photography, and travel. He aspires to become a professional athlete.