Our Mission
The Silverstein Dream Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a unique mission to support diabetes research and address chronic conditions associated with diabetes and its inflammatory effects.
As we embark on our mission to fund innovative treatments, we have identified three key areas of focus:
Supporting Academic Research - We organize social events and fundraising initiatives to advance groundbreaking research.
Implementing Diabetes Prevention Programs - We educate and empower underrepresented communities on the importance of early detection and proper nutrition to prevent diabetes progression and diagnosis.
Strategic Investments in Early-Stage Companies - We invest in promising innovations to accelerate the development of treatments, ensuring that life-changing cures move from the lab to the patient’s bedside.
By combining these efforts, we aim to drive meaningful progress and bring hope to those affected by this disease.
Diabetes in the United States
Current estimates show that 1 in 3 Americans will develop diabetes sometime in their lifetime. 1 Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how the body turns food into energy and results in too much sugar in the bloodstream. Over time, this can cause serious health problems and damage vital organs. Most people who have diabetes have a shorter life expectancy than people without the disease.
Diabetes in youth
About 352,000 Americans under age 20 are estimated to have diagnosed diabetes, approximately 0.35% of that population.
In 2017–2018, the annual incidence of diagnosed diabetes in youth was estimated at 18,200 with type 1 diabetes, 5,300 with type 2 diabetes.
Quick Facts
• 38 million people of all ages (about 11.6% of the population) have diabetes.
• 98 million adults (38%) have prediabetes, blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
• Diabetes complications are increasing for young adults aged 18 to 44 and middle-aged adults aged 45 to 64.
• Diabetes is more common among American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Asian people than non-Hispanic White people.
• Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents aged 12 to 18 and 1 in 4 young adults aged 19 to 34 have prediabetes.
Our Work
Diabetes Focused Research
Our goal is to provide funding to the most important clinical trials active now at the Diabetes Research Institute, which could be the Biological Cure for Diabetes.
Beta Cell Islet Transplantation. Immunomodulation and Immune Tolerance Induction: to prevent transplant rejection without the requirement for life-long recipient immunosuppression. The proposed strategy utilizes a combination of immunomodulatory cells with the local delivery at the transplant site of tolerogenic molecules, using a novel biologic drug delivery system that was initially developed in Europe for cancer treatment, and that is now ready to be tested to eliminate toxic anti-rejection drugs following transplantation.
Diabetes Prevention Program
Our mission is to transform the healthcare system by redefining how we treat and prevent all types of diabetes.
Two Key Interventions
Early detection of type 1 diabetes antibodies in younger individuals (ages 5-18) to help prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes.
Testing individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes by analyzing inflammatory biomarkers to assess risks.
This approach aims to support optimal health and prevent future diabetes-related complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy.
