Narragansett family running in the Boston Marathon, raising thousands for diabetes research

Michele Gilbert’s favorite snack is Brickley's Java Chip ice cream.

A staple in South County, the scoop shop powers Gilbert after training sessions. But because the Type 1 diabetic can't bring the treat with her on longer runs, Java Chip won’t make a 26.2-mile trek or even take a ride to Boston.

Gilbert will rely on other snacks, advancements in diabetes technologies and her family to fuel her first marathon. The 55-year-old was inspired by a neighbor to run in the Boston Marathon, and her Narragansett family is taking on that challenge with her and raising money for the Joslin Diabetes Research Foundation.

The Gilberts have raised more than $30,000 for the Joslin Diabetes Center, which provides patient-centered care to treat and manage diabetes. And with a month left on its fundraising journey, the family could surpass its $34,000 goal before crossing Boylston Street’s landmark finish line in the 128th annual Boston Marathon on Monday.

“It's a chronic thing, but it's very manageable and I really, truly, in my heart, believe that with organizations like Joslin Diabetes, there's going to be a cure in my lifetime,” Gilbert said.

“This is all new for me. I've been a runner and been working out for a long time, but this is a whole new animal.”

Jim Gilbert, Michele’s husband, is the only one in the family of four who has done a marathon. Daughters Madison and Kendall also will be running through Greater Boston, in the world's oldest annual marathon, in their first race.

“[Michele] is just really good at following through when she puts her mind to something,” said Jim Gilbert, 58. “She just needed a little bit of encouragement to believe, and I think that's true for most people.”

Michele and Jim applied to be charity runners first and were accepted to run with Joslin’s fundraising team. Madison and Kendall, unbeknownst to their parents, followed suit with an application. The daughters also were registered for the race and shared the news with their parents via FaceTime.

“They were so excited,” Madison Gilbert said of her parents on the video chat. “They had no idea that we were even considering running a marathon, let alone willing to spend our time and energy fundraising.

“It's incredible to see how people will donate their money, not only for Type 1 diabetes and Type 2, but for our family as well. It's personal, but it also goes to a really good cause.”

“My sister and I just started running recently, within the past year," Kendall Gilbert said. "They had no idea that we even wanted to run the marathon. A lot of excitement; it was a great surprise.”

Michele developed diabetes more than 22 years ago while pregnant with Kendall. Roughly six months into the pregnancy, Michele developed appendicitis and had surgery. Just two weeks later, she was diagnosed with diabetes.

“It's 23 years in. I've had my share of kind-of pity parties for myself and feeling badly about it,” she said. “I have friends who have had cancer or have diseases … that cause a lot of pain. Diabetes is manageable if you eat smart and you exercise and you take care of yourself.”

The marathon training has been tough, naturally. But the Gilberts have a race-day plan. Michele's cellphone is connected to her continuous glucose monitor. The monitor, every few seconds, provides real-time blood sugar updates to her phone. She doesn’t have to prick her fingers, and Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, can read the levels to her while she's running. “I don’t think five years ago that I would have been able to do this without the devices that I wear on my body.”

Not everyone with diabetes has access to these tools. That’s where the philanthropy helps. The Gilberts, outside of two spin classes that acted as fundraising events, have collected all the money through donations. Individual contributions dating back to October 2023, when the Gilberts donated $910 to the fund, range into the thousands.

“My family is fortunate to have access to good health care,” Madison Gilbert said. “My mom has had access to the front-of-the-line insulin pumps and glucose monitors and, unfortunately, a lot of individuals in the United States and globally don't have access to that. That's part of the reason why we wanted to raise money.”

The training has also connected the family with other diabetes patients. Kendall, who attends Georgetown University, came home for Easter and the family ran Newton’s famed Heartbreak Hill together. The four hills and about six miles of the route tend to be the hardest part of the Boston Marathon.

“My parents put us in sports literally before we could walk,” Kendall Gilbert said. “Definitely being outside and staying active has brought us together and now this is at the end of it all. The marathon, really, that's the craziest thing you can do as a family.”

“I'm a little nervous, but I think we're all ready, all four of us,” Michele Gilbert said. “And I'm just excited for the day.”

How to help?

To learn how to donate to the Gilbert family's cause, visit the Given Gain website at https://rb.gy/9ea9sp. As of April 10, the family had raised $33,604.

jrousseau@providencejournal.com

On X: @ByJacobRousseau

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gilbert family to run Boston Marathon; raising thousands for diabetes