Santa Barbara Teen Aidan Free Advocates for Education and Research at Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C.

Inspirational leader Aidan Free, a 17-year-old student and advocate from Santa Barbara with type one diabetes (T1D), has been selected as a delegate to join the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress this week in Washington, D.C. Breakthrough T1D is the leading research and advocacy program for type one diabetes. Every two years, the Children’s Congress is organized to share ideas, foster leadership skills, and, most importantly, help Members of Congress understand what life with T1D is like, to encourage them to take necessary action. Delegates advocate for the need for government funding for T1D research, better technologies, and an ultimate cure, as well as highlight the current high cost of treatment that can take such a toll on families and individuals. 

Since its inception in 1999, more than 1,000 kids representing all 50 states have participated as delegates using their voices to tell their stories to impact change for those living with T1D and their communities. Free is a part of their Youth Ambassador program and is excited to be in D.C. right now!

He was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2020 at the Stanford Children’s Hospital. Since then, Free has proactively connected with others who share this disease and found that although challenging, he is empowered to advocate for research and find strength within medical communities and through people who share his experiences.

Free is excited to speak with decision makers to remind them of the critical support that is needed of them. “Not only is it just cool to be able to speak to senators and people who actually influence change in the country, but also just to meet other people from across the nation who are my age, who also have type one diabetes, because it’s not a very common thing to see. But when I do meet somebody who has a family member with type one diabetes or has it, it’s kind of like an instant bond, because it’s this shared struggle that not many people have,” he said.

Free, along with other chosen youth representatives from the ages of 4-17 years old, will participate in breakthrough-centered programming and meet with politicians such as Congressmember Salud Carbajal and Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, paving their way at Capitol Hill. The youth representatives will attend a Senate hearing with personal T1D testimonies that are stressing the importance of federal funding to support the struggles of daily living with this disease through the Special Diabetes Program. The delegates are presenting that their struggle is a global issue that needs an equally expansive response. 

Free is a great spokesperson for this struggle at such a young age. He has interned at Stanford’s School of Technology, developing gene therapies, bravely participating in clinical trials, and cofounding a health advocacy club at his school. Free has worked extensively through trials with local hospitals like the Sansum Diabetes Research Institute to work to find a cure. Free states, “clinical research is so important because it furthers all the technology we have and makes it easier for us to live. But that can only happen if there are patients who sign up for trials, and that includes children [like Free].” He has spoken about his experiences with trials and beneficial new technology to many, such as at UCSB for a Community Summit. Free believes that federal funding and widespread education on this disease can create a better future for everyone. “For the financial situation, it kind of gets me nervous as I grow older, because I’m gonna have to take on this burden on my own of dealing with health, like insurance, employers, or whatever like I’m dealing with, whatever the case may be. It is really important to have a support system, and what I’ve realized in the Santa Barbara community is that people are really supportive.” 

Free emphasizes, “My own experience is that it shows me the value of hard work and persistence. … There are just some things you have to deal with. It’s like, kind of the hard truth, but it’s pushed me to be better. … And in terms of like other people, from what I’ve heard, there are just situations where you can’t control what happens. … The Santa Barbara Community is full of amazing people who want to help and who are kind. You may not even know them, and yet they want to see you do well. So I think that was my biggest takeaway of just talking with people in the community, and sharing my story and hearing from them, is that people want to help. And that leaves me fueled up for the future and to inspire change.” 

To learn more about The Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress, visit cc.breakthrought1d.org. Read more about Aidan and the other delegates at cc.breakthrought1d.org/delegates-search/?location=california.