Tilly Stimpson Raises Over $8,000 For Type 1 Diabetes Research

Tilly Stimpson, a grade 9 student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, has raised over $8,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) after being chosen as one of their 100 Ambassadors of History.

2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the first injection of insulin.

To mark the milestone JDRF is hosting the ‘Lets Make History Again Campaign’ which aims to raise money that will fund valuable research to fund a cure for Type One Diabetes.

The 100 Ambassadors of History, which is the group Stimpson is a part of, is a special group of Canadians who will each host their own fundraiser to contribute to the campaign.

Stimpson decided that this year she would fundraise online and climb the 100 steps of the Lift Locks for every $100 raised.

“Initially our goal was $1,000,” said Jo, Tilly’s mother. “When we broke that we just kept upping the goal. And now $8,000 - that’s unbelievable. Every other time we’ve fundraised we usually tapped out around $2,500, we are just blown away.”

Stimpson noted how grateful she was to those that donated, especially with everything going on in the world.

“I can’t believe how much I’ve raised, especially during COVID and the war. I know people have been struggling through that so I just really cannot believe how much I’ve raised.”

As one of the 100 Ambassadors of History, Stimpson had the opportunity to visit one of the five ‘Leaders in History’ a top a flagpole in Toronto.

The Leaders in History are five chosen Canadians living with Type 1 Diabetes that camp a top flagpoles in five different cities, for 100 hours, or until $15 million is raised.

Stimpson was lifted into the 40-foot flagpole and had the chance to talk to Vanessa Oliver, Toronto’s Leader in History, who’s father started the tradition of the flagpole campout 32 years ago, when his daughter was diagnosed with T1D.

Stimpson will continue to accept donations to her campaign until the end of May.

She says while the money raised will contribute to valuable research, she mainly wants to raise awareness about the disease she lives with daily.

“I want to raise awareness, obviously people know about diabetes - but they need to know more - especially kids at school,” said Stimpson.

Both Tilly and Jo agree that people often think Type One Diabetes and Type Two Diabetes are the same thing. Though in reality, T1D has nothing to do with lifestyle or diet, it’s simply due to the pancreas’s inability to create insulin, they say.

“Research needs money,” said Jo. “This amount of money they’ve raised is significant. I feel like we’re close. I know everyone always says that, but I really think we are. Lives are being improved. It may not be a cure yet, but lives are being improved for sure.”

To donate to Stimpson’s cause, click here. To follow along on Tilly’s journey on Instagram follow her @diabetes.the.bully

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