Our History
History of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and the Barbara Davis Center
When Barbara and Marvin Davis’ daughter Dana was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of seven, Marvin’s initial reaction to the diagnosis was for him and Barbara to “fix it.” Like any caring parent, when your child is sick, you will do anything you can to take care of them.
With no cure and the best care available in Boston at the Joslin Center, the Davis family began to travel from Denver to the east coast regularly for Dana to get the care she needed. Marvin and Barbara soon realized that not everyone had the ability to seek out diabetes care, particularly if doing so involved traveling across the country. They began to envision a facility with innovative research and state-of-the-art care for all, no matter their financial means. Thus, the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (BDC) was born.
The Evolution of the BDC and CDF
Not only does the Barbara Davis Center conduct research and provide the best care to patients, but Barbara and Marvin created a community dedicated to taking care of everyone within the family of the diagnosed. Type 1 diabetes is a family disease that does not discriminate; it affects mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and friends in every community.
The Children’s Diabetes Foundation was established by Barbara and Marvin Davis in 1977 in Denver as a non-profit organization dedicated solely to the support of diabetes research and to providing the best possible clinical and educational programs for people with the disease. The Foundation’s mission was set to raise funds to support the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, where thousands of patients of all ages from all over the world receive the finest diabetes care available. Dana was the inspiration for the Barbara Davis Center and has been at the forefront of the renowned Children’s Diabetes Foundation as the Executive Director for the last nine years. Since our inception, the Children’s Diabetes Foundation has raised over $115 million to help sustain the life-saving care, research and prevention advancements, and education programs provided by the Barbara Davis Center.
In 1978, Marvin Davis generously provided funds for the construction of the clinic. The Barbara Davis Center was opened in 1980 at the Ninth Avenue campus in Denver and was expanded in 1983, 1986, and 1994. In May 2005, The Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes relocated to a new building within the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. This is where the Barbara Davis Center is located today.
Over its 45 years, the Barbara Davis Center has championed over 90 national research studies. Forty-five states are represented through patients at the Barbara Davis center. With 35% of the BDC’s patient population living at or below the poverty line, and 45% of patients being uninsured or underinsured, our work at the Children’s Diabetes Foundation is more prevalent than ever.
Who is Barbara Davis?
Barbara Davis, a name synonymous with compassion and philanthropy, is a beacon of hope and change in the realm of charitable endeavors.
Patient Stories
Watch the stories of patients with type 1 diabetes and the impact the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes has had on them and their families.
Our Impact
Thanks to your commitment, we are able to provide life-changing support, resources, and hope to patients and families facing the daily challenges of type 1 diabetes (TID).
