Craig Jackson’s mother, Gayle, always made sure her eight children got every shot and attended every checkup so they would grow up healthy. She wasn’t, however, so good at taking care of herself. That culminated in a massive stroke in her mid-50s—and, with it, a diagnosis of untreated type 2 diabetes. She relied on insulin and experienced a range of health problems for the rest of her life.

Craig always wondered: could that chapter of his mother’s story have been prevented? Determined to change this trajectory, he follows a healthy diet, stays active, and sees his doctor regularly. Wanting to expand his impact, he not only joined his colleagues for the ADA Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes—Indiana but chaired the 2024 event as well. The company Craig works for raised $126,405 for diabetes research, education, and advocacy, making them the first six-figure team in Step Out® Walk history.

Craig walks in memory of his mother and a brother who passed away, as well as for other family members with prediabetes and diabetes. Thanks to the dedication of supporters like him, Step Out continues to grow. “It’s a very uplifting and positive experience,” he said of the walk. “I want to drive awareness and provide the tools so people can better manage their life with this disease. And a cure would be the ultimate goal.”