The Scarsdale community came out on Sunday to support Benny Cotliar and fundraising efforts to help find a cure for his type 1 diabetes.

More than 30 people put their sneakers on to join 2-year-old Benny and his family in a walk to raise money for the nonprofit JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

JDRF funds research and services for type 1 diabetes. Benny was diagnosed about a year ago. 

Benny’s mother, Kelly Cotliar, says the toddler deals with highs and lows.  

“With lows, you know, it can be life-threatening,” says Cotliar. 

Bronx resident, Jana Campbell, says the disease took the life of her brother. 

“They didn’t have all of the pumps and the machinery that they have now to check the glucose levels,” says Campbell. “So all of the work that had been done through JDRF has gotten us to where we are now.” 

Campbell says with more support, more lives can be saved. 

Benny’s parents hope this walk will help to bring researchers one step closer to finding a cure for the disease.  

“I hope in his lifetime, he can be cured and he won’t need things to be delivered into his body to survive,” says Jeremy Cotliar.  

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so here.