From 12 to 18 July, Australians living with diabetes, alongside their carers, researchers, health professionals and clinicians, did something powerful. They said, out loud and without apology, the one thing they have always wished people knew. Under the theme Stronger Together, the Living Out Loud campaign gave 2 million Australians a platform that was entirely their own.  

What made the wall of voices so powerful was not just the number of declarations, but the breadth of who was speaking and who was listening. People living with diabetes used their wishes to speak directly to the community around them, including to friends and family who have never fully understood the daily load, to health professionals who see the clinical picture, to researchers, to the medical industry, to pharmaceutical companies and to the government. These were not just personal statements. They were acts of advocacy, calling for better access, fairer funding, less stigma, and more understanding from the very people with the power to act on them.

What made it even more remarkable was that the conversation ran both ways. Health professionals, clinicians, researchers, and allied health workers stepped up alongside those living with the condition, adding their own wishes to the wall. When organisations beyond the diabetes community, including the neuroendocrine cancer community, spoke up about the unexpected link between their condition and a diabetes diagnosis, it reinforced something this campaign has always believed: diabetes rarely comes alone, and every voice that surrounds it matters.

Together, these declarations did not just raise awareness. They mapped the full, complex, and interconnected reality of living with diabetes in Australia, and sent a clear message to every decision maker who encountered them that this community is organised, informed, and ready for change. Here is a look back at what we achieved together.

600+ wishes and counting

This National Diabetes Week, over 600 Australians completed the sentence “I wish people knew鈥�” and added their voice to the wall.

From people newly diagnosed to those who have lived with diabetes for decades. From carers and parents to researchers and clinicians. From type 1 to type 2 to gestational diabetes and beyond, every type had a voice, and every voice had a place. Here is a selection of the wishes we received:

There is still time to add your voice

The conversation does not stop here. We are still collecting wishes to showcase at the International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Region (IDF-WPR) Congress in Melbourne, and we want to take as many Australian voices with us as possible.

If you have not yet shared your wish, it is not too late. Complete the sentence “I wish people knew鈥�” and submit it through our online form or share it on social media using #DiabetesOutLoud. Selected wishes will be featured as part of Australia’s presence at the IDF-WPR Congress. Add your wish.

The campaign that reached Australia

Living Out Loud was not just a digital campaign. It reached Australians in their cities, on their drive to work and through their radios.

Out of home

In the media

The campaign made international, national, state and local news throughout the week, with Australians living with diabetes sharing their stories across television, print, digital, and radio, reaching nearly 4 million Australians.

The week was previewed with a story that ran nationally on Win regional TV news with an interview with Perth Diabetes Centre’s Tayla Dyson, who lives with type 1 diabetes, and 芒果直播’s Group CEO Justine Cain.

It was followed on Saturday, 11 July, with an opinion editorial by聽Ms Cain聽in the Weekend Australian Magazine, which also features in the Qantas Magazine.聽Ms Cain聽told readers: 鈥淚 wish people knew that diabetes is a very serious chronic condition that can develop for many different reasons, and that the individuals who live with it are inspiring and resilient.鈥澛�

Lara McSpadden, WNBL champion, Blue Circle Collective Ambassador and type 1 diabetes advocate, headlined the national media launch, describing what it means to represent Australia with diabetes. Ms Cain and the director of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Melbourne Children’s Hospital, Professor Fergus Cameron, were also interviewed. Lara’s story was broadcast by 9News and 10 News across the nation on afternoon and 6pm news bulletins, reaching thousands of Australians with a message that diabetes never has to be a barrier to success. Lara and Ms Cain were also featured in the Herald Sun.

Monday, 13 July, kicked off from 5am with FM and AM radio news stories across every state and territory on capital city stations and throughout the regions. Throughout the week, 芒果直播’s Ms Cain, Nicole McMahon, Hannah Jackson, Minke Hoekstra and Deanne Minniecon were interviewed for program chats on commercial and ABC stations including Adelaide’s FiveAA, Bathurst, Canberra, Wollongong Wave FM, Sydney, Newcastle, Darwin, Alice Springs, Perth’s 6PR, and West Gippsland. Deanne’s Saturday morning chat on SRN regional radio network was broadcast by 47 stations around Australia.

A member of 芒果直播鈥檚 Health Professional Advisory Council, Dr Konrad Kangru, spoke with ABC regional presenter Susan-Graham-Ryan and later in the week with ABC Tropical North’s Rob Kidd about the importance of recognising even mild symptoms, getting regular health checks, and the possible complications that can develop with diabetes.  

online explored the hidden health challenges Australia’s top athletes manage behind the scenes, shining a light on everyday realities that elite performers navigate alongside their diabetes, including Blue Circle Ambassadors Lara McSpadden and Lachie Kennedy.

In Western Australia, Lucy Woods spoke openly about breaking the stigma of diabetes through social media. Her story featured in as part of a state-based exclusive that put real lived experience at the centre of the conversation.

told the extraordinary story of James Griffiths, a proud Wangaaypuwan man and Blue Circle Collective Community Advocate from Sale, who lost his sight, his kidneys, and the career he was building to type 2 diabetes, before finding a new purpose in archery and setting his sights on the Paralympic Games.  James鈥檚 story resonated with editors around Australia and was published online in the Herald Sun (Melbourne), the Daily Telegraph (Sydney), the Adelaide Advertiser, the Courier Mail (Brisbane), and NT News (Darwin), as well as other regional newspapers. You can read more about James鈥檚 story below.

Ken Johnson and Minke Hoekstra told Hobart’s Mercury newspaper about Ken’s determination to live a healthy life after his type 2 diagnosis and efforts to achieve remission. Ken’s story, “How a type 2 diabetes diagnosis set this 77yo on the path to a marathon” was republished in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, and the Cairns Post.  

The Adelaide Advertiser featured Lara Wilson, a young woman living with type 1 diabetes who channelled her knowledge gained through living with a chronic condition to help children and parents at the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital school, going on to win the National Trainee of the Year Award in 2024. Now studying to be a teacher, Lara’s message was: “I wish people knew how many extra decisions I make every day because of my diabetes.” Lara coaches tennis and volunteers several times a week at the Flinders Park Tennis Club.

Channel 7’s national health editor interviewed Shalisse Thompson and revealed to a national and international audience for the first time that Shalisse’s Dad, , died eight years ago, aged 40, from diabetic ketoacidosis, caused by dangerously high glucose levels. Lance was diagnosed in his late 20s, and was a respected and popular professional rugby league player for the St George Dragons and later Cronulla.  Shalisse’s wish was simple and devastating: “I wish people knew diabetes can be life threatening.” Her story reached audiences on 7News Australia (online), , the West Australian, and the Daily Mail UK.

Online

Socials were buzzing throughout the week with over 450 people using #DiabetesOutLoud or #NDW2026 on Instagram, Facebook and X. We also saw a further 200+ wishes submitted through the online form, which continues to receive submissions leading into IDF-WPR Congress.

Beyond individual voices, the campaign inspired collective action. There were over 150 downloads of the campaign toolkit assets, showing strong uptake of the resources across the community. Diabetes Credentialled Educators, health practitioners and their clinics built their own physical wall of wishes, inviting patients to write and pin their declarations for all to see. A big shout out to the PDC Health Hub for their standout contribution over the week. 

Last week’s standout wish

Among hundreds of powerful declarations, this one stopped us in our tracks:

James Griffiths, a proud Wangaaypuwan man, Blue Circle Collective Community Advocate and aspiring Paralympic archer, knows better than most what diabetes can take from a person. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at just 19, he lost his sight, his kidneys, and the career he was building, all because of a condition he was never warned about. After surviving kidney failure and undergoing a kidney-pancreas transplant, James rebuilt his life with extraordinary determination, finding a new purpose in archery and community advocacy. He has been involved with the Sale to Sea Disability Kayak Challenge, served on advisory boards, and chaired the Wellington Access and Inclusion Advisory Group. Today, he continues to pursue his archery ambitions while using his lived experience to drive change in his community. His wish carries the full weight of a life transformed by diabetes and a determination to ensure the disease does not define his future, or the futures of others.

What the wishes told us

The declarations we received covered every corner of the diabetes experience. They spoke to the daily reality of managing a condition that never switches off, challenged the stigma that too often follows a type 2 diagnosis, celebrated what is possible in sport, leadership, and life with diabetes, and called for better access, improved technology, and more understanding.

Together, they painted a picture of a community that is resilient, determined, and ready to be heard. Not statistics; these were many distinct, powerful, and individual voices.

The next step: Join the Blue Circle Collective

If speaking up felt like the beginning of something, the Blue Circle Collective is your next step.

Our community of Ambassadors, Advocates, and Advisers uses lived experience to influence policy, shape research, and drive real change for the diabetes community across Australia. We are recruiting Advocates now, looking for people who are ready to turn one declaration into lasting advocacy. Express your interest.

Thank you

To everyone who shared a wish, posted a tile, tagged #DiabetesOutLoud, shared the campaign with someone they love, or simply listened; thank you.

To our Blue Circle Collective Ambassadors Lachlan Kennedy, Lara McSpadden, and Warren Bingham, who led the way with courage and generosity; thank you.

A big thank you to the talented photographers Nick James Fraser, Yvette Scott, and 漏 David Kelly/Copyright Agency, 2026.   

To the 2 million Australians living with diabetes every day, this campaign was always for you. We hope last week felt like what it was: a moment where Australia stopped, listened, and heard you.

The voices do not stop here.

#DiabetesOutLoud #NDW2026

As Australian basketball star Lara McSpadden prepares to fly to Glasgow to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games, she is carrying far more than the green and gold.

The 25-year-old Gangurrus 3×3 representative lives with type 1 diabetes, making her a powerful example of this year鈥檚 National Diabetes Week message that when people living with diabetes share their experiences, everyone is stronger together.

This year鈥檚 National Diabetes Week (July 12-18) campaign, Living Out Loud, is encouraging the two million Australians living with diabetes to speak openly, without apology, about the realities of living with the condition and the support that helps them thrive. 芒果直播鈥檚 campaign invites people with lived experience, carers, health professionals and diabetes researchers to share a declaration that finishes the sentence: 鈥淚 wish people knew鈥︹��

As a 芒果直播 Blue Circle Collective Ambassador, Lara hopes her story gives confidence to others, especially young people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

鈥淚 wish people knew you can represent Australia with diabetes,鈥� Ms McSpadden said.

Diabetes has never stopped this 193cm-tall champion from chasing her dreams. Instead, it has become another part of preparing to compete at the highest level.

Diagnosed at the age of seven, Lara has represented Australia at junior and senior levels, won world championship and Asia Cup gold medals, and now heads to Glasgow determined to see Australia succeed once again.

鈥淚 never pretend type 1 diabetes is easy,鈥� Ms McSpadden said.

鈥淚t means making hundreds of extra decisions every day and constantly thinking ahead, particularly when I am training or competing. But I have never believed diabetes should decide what I can achieve.

鈥淚 have been incredibly fortunate to have supportive parents, teammates, coaches and health professionals around me. That support has made all the difference.

鈥淚 want young people living with diabetes to know they can still chase big dreams. There will be difficult days, but diabetes does not define who you are or what you are capable of,鈥� she said.

Speaking at Keilor Basketball Stadium in Melbourne for the launch of National Diabetes Week, 芒果直播鈥檚 Group CEO Justine Cain said Lara perfectly captures the spirit of this year鈥檚 campaign.

鈥淟ara is living proof that diabetes is not a barrier to ambition, achievement or success. She is also honest about the daily work that goes into managing type 1 diabetes, and that honesty is incredibly important,鈥� Ms Cain said.

鈥淟iving Out Loud is about making sure the voices of people living with diabetes are heard. Too often, diabetes is reduced to statistics or misunderstood through myths and stereotypes. The people living with it every day are the experts in what life with diabetes is really like.鈥�

Ms Cain said many Australians living with diabetes still experienced stigma, misunderstanding and isolation.

鈥淲hen people share their stories, they help others feel less alone. They challenge misconceptions, build understanding and create momentum for better care, better policies, better research and stronger support.

鈥淭his National Diabetes Week we are inviting every Australian living with diabetes to speak up about the one thing they have always wished people understood. Every voice matters because real change happens when we speak together,鈥� Ms Cain said.

Whether living with diabetes, caring for someone who is, working in the health sector or simply wanting to learn more, Australians are encouraged to join the conversation during National Diabetes Week and help create a future where nobody living with diabetes feels invisible or alone.

About 芒果直播

芒果直播 is the national peak body supporting people living with, and at risk of, diabetes. We are leading the national response to Australia’s largest health crisis, working in collaboration with people with lived experience, member organisations, peak bodies, health professionals, state-based organisations, researchers and the community. Our work focuses on supporting people with diabetes to live well, providing information, resources, and support services, as well as investing in prevention, and reducing the impact of diabetes on people, health systems and society. We advocate for positive change that will create a healthier future for everyone.      

People living with diabetes spend a lot of their lives explaining themselves to a world full of assumptions. This National Diabetes Week (12鈥�18 July 2026), we’re flipping that. Instead of explaining, we’re declaring.

芒果直播 is asking the 2 million Australians living with diabetes to say, out loud and without apology, the one thing they’ve always wished people knew.

The campaign is called Living Out Loud, and it’s built on a simple truth: real change doesn’t come from one voice speaking louder. It comes from many voices speaking together. That’s why this year’s theme is Stronger Together.

What’s a “wish”?

It’s one sentence. Just complete the line:

“I wish people knew鈥� [your wish].”

Maybe it’s about the 180 decisions someone makes every day to manage type 1 diabetes. Maybe it’s about the stigma that comes with a type 2 diagnosis. Maybe it’s about what it’s like caring for a child with diabetes, or spending years being misdiagnosed because your type doesn’t fit neatly into “type 1” or “type 2.”

One wish is a story. Thousands of wishes, shared at the same time, become a wall of voices too big to ignore.

Why call it all “diabetes” when we’re not the same?

Good question and we agree with the premise. Type 1, type 2, gestational and other forms of diabetes are genuinely different conditions, with different causes and different daily realities. This campaign isn’t about blurring those lines.

In fact, it does the opposite. Every declaration is shared with the person’s type attached, alongside their name (this is optional; if you’re not comfortable sharing, that’s fine too). So, when someone posts their wish, the world sees exactly who’s speaking and what kind of diabetes they live with.

A type 1 declaration looks different from a type 2 declaration. A carer’s wish looks different from a researcher鈥檚. Those differences are visible, and that’s the whole point. Stronger Together doesn’t mean we’re the same. It means that when every distinct voice speaks up at once, the full picture of diabetes in Australia becomes visible.

Type 1 and type 2: what’s actually different?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. The body stops producing insulin altogether, and there’s currently no way to prevent it. People with type 1 manage it every single day, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through insulin and constant decision-making. There’s no day off.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t produce enough of it. It’s influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, age, cultural background, and lifestyle.

Both are very serious conditions, and neither tells the whole story on its own. That’s exactly why this campaign asks people to speak for themselves.

More types than you might think

Type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes are the most well-known, but they’re not the whole picture. Diabetes also includes:

• LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults)
• MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young)
• Neonatal diabetes
• Type 3c diabetes
• Wolfram Syndrome
• Alstr枚m Syndrome
• Medically-induced and steroid-induced diabetes
• Double diabetes

Each type comes with its own causes and challenges, and many are frequently misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2. You can read more about each type in detail on our What type of diabetes do you have? page. That’s exactly why this campaign invites everyone, no matter their type, to speak for themselves because no two diabetes stories are quite the same.

Meet some of the voices

This year, members of our Blue Circle Collective, 芒果直播’s Ambassadors, Advocates and Advisers, are leading the way with their declarations, including:

Lachlan Kennedy

Lachlan Kennedy is one of Australia’s fastest men; an Olympian, national record-holder, and the second Australian man to legally break 10 seconds in the 100m. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 15 years old while overseas, Lachlan has turned what once felt like a setback into a source of discipline and focus.

As a Blue Circle Collective Ambassador, he uses his platform to prove that diabetes doesn’t limit ambition. This National Diabetes Week, his wish reflects exactly that mindset.

Warren Bingham

Warren Bingham is a leader in medical technology and healthcare innovation, with more than two decades spent advancing solutions that improve patient outcomes. As Founder and Executive Chairman of MedTech International, and Vice Chair of the Medical Technology Association of Australia, his work shapes how healthcare is delivered across the country.

Living with type 2 diabetes himself, Warren brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his advocacy as a Blue Circle Collective Ambassador. This National Diabetes Week, his wish is simple but powerful.

Lara McSpadden

Lara McSpadden is a professional basketballer and qualified high school teacher who has spent nearly two decades proving that type 1 diabetes doesn’t limit ambition or possibility. Diagnosed in 2007, Lara has played nine seasons in the WNBL and competed internationally in New Zealand and the Czech Republic.

As a Blue Circle Collective Ambassador, she’s committed to giving back to the community that has supported her journey. This National Diabetes Week, her wish speaks to what she’s proven on the world stage.

Throughout the week, more voices including advocates, carers, health professionals and everyday Australians, will be added to the declaration wall across social media, each with their own wish.

Where does it go from here?

Sharing a wish is just the start. For people who want their voice to go further:

Diabetes YOUnited

More than a membership; it鈥檚 your community, your connection, your people. Beyond expert information and resources, you’ll find a supportive network of people who genuinely understand what you’re going through, and a space to belong that goes far beyond a diagnosis.

If speaking your wish this week felt like the beginning of something, joining Diabetes YOUnited is the next step, connecting you with a whole community who already understands it.

The Blue Circle Collective

A national movement for voices who want to go further than one declaration. It’s a network of Ambassadors, Advocates, and Advisers; people living with diabetes who share their stories, raise awareness, and help drive real change across Australia.

We’re recruiting Advocates now. If you’re ready to turn your voice into ongoing advocacy, this is where it happens.

IDF Western Pacific Region Congress 2026

The voices don’t stop at Australia’s shores. Every declaration collected during National Diabetes Week will be taken to the in Melbourne, delivered alongside the Australasian Diabetes Congress and Metabolic Diseases 2026, carried there as Australia’s collective voice, asking the world to listen.

How you can get involved

This National Diabetes Week is for everyone, whether you’re living with diabetes, caring for someone who is, or simply want to understand it better. Here’s how to take part:

1. Share your wish: If you’re living with diabetes, complete the sentence “I wish people knew鈥�” and share your declaration with the world.
2. Show your support: If you’re a carer, friend, colleague, or simply an ally, download our free Canva template and share a message of support.
3. Use the hashtag: Tag #DiabetesOutLoud #NDW2026 on every post so we can find, amplify and share every voice as part of the national movement.

However you choose to take part, the goal is the same: listen, declare, and stand stronger together.

You can find everything you need to create your wish, access resources, and get involved: National Diabetes Week campaign resources 2026.

芒果直播 took a simple yet powerful message to the halls of Parliament House in Canberra this week: Australians living with all types of diabetes should have equitable access to the technology they need to live well.  

Highlighting our advocacy for increased subsidies for insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, a delegation from 芒果直播, including people living with diabetes, met with Senators and Members of Parliament to discuss the life-changing nature of these technologies.  

Proud mum of two Katie Godden, endocrinologist Dr Ben Nash, and former AFL star Paddy McCartin (pictured above) all live with type 1 diabetes and shared their stories with the nation鈥檚 policy makers about the importance of diabetes technologies.聽Far left is 芒果直播’s Taryn Black.聽

芒果直播鈥檚 policy paper outlines the steps needed to create more affordable access to CGM devices and insulin pumps, including economic modelling that shows a $200 million package of investment would support nearly 40,000 people living with diabetes to access these technologies, prioritising those with the greatest need. 

Acknowledging that subsidies to improve access will likely need to be delivered in a staged approach over time, the paper recommends key priority groups in the first instance, with further expansion in the future. 

The paper also outlines recommendations for changes to the way diabetes technologies are assessed and approved in Australia and investment in the diabetes workforce to support people living with diabetes get the most out of technology. 

A busy day at Parliament House on November 20 saw the 芒果直播 team meet with many Members of Parliament and Senators including Dr Mike Freelander MP and Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston. Great connections were formed as advocates discussed how important technology is for people living with diabetes.聽聽

Australians living with diabetes are doing it tougher than ever.

That鈥檚 why today, on World Diabetes Day (Thursday 14 November), 芒果直播 is launching Diabetes YOUnited 鈥� our new, free national membership program available to everyone in Australia. 

To celebrate the launch of Diabetes YOUnited, we鈥檙e teaming up with chef Miguel Maestre to host a series of cooking demonstrations around Australia. Miguel鈥檚 challenge? To cook a tasty, easy, and affordable meal. After appearing with 芒果直播 Group CEO Justine Cain on Channel 9鈥檚 Today show this morning, the first stop is Perth!

鈥淭his is such an important campaign for me to be involved in. I鈥檝e been on my own health journey with my nutrition and my fitness because I want to feel good and have energy. I鈥檓 so passionate about good food but I know it鈥檚 challenging times for people right now,鈥� said Miguel.

鈥淓verything is expensive. I want to help show people that you can make really tasty food that鈥檚 not expensive and is very nutritious. While I鈥檓 an expert in good food, 芒果直播 are the experts in diabetes support and I鈥檓 looking forward to cooking up a storm around the country!鈥�

Australians living with all types of diabetes should have equitable access to the technology they need to live well. Right now they don鈥檛 and this needs to change.

That was the simple, yet powerful, message for National Diabetes Week 2024 (July 14-20).

National Diabetes Week featured many powerful stories of people living with diabetes, highlighting the current inequities many Australians experience accessing the technology they need to live well.

Throughout the week, a series of community engagement events, media opportunities, and announcements amplified the voices of the diabetes community and showcased the need for fair and equitable access to diabetes technology.

鈥楧iaBuddies鈥� help launch National Diabetes Week

A big group of 鈥楧iaBuddies鈥� children living with type 1 diabetes and their families helped launch National Diabetes Week 2024 in Brisbane. In sharing their stories, these children and their families highlighted the difference diabetes technology makes in their lives but, also the financial hardship for many trying to access this technology.

Position Statement outlines the steps needed to create more affordable access to diabetes technology

To kick-off National Diabetes Week, 芒果直播 released a new policy paper calling on the government to make life changing technology more affordable for people living with all types of diabetes.

In the paper, we have outlined the steps needed to create more affordable access to CGM devices and insulin pumps, including economic modelling that shows a $200 million package of investment would support nearly 40,000 people living with diabetes to access these technologies, prioritising those with the greatest need.

Acknowledging that subsidies to improve access will likely need to be delivered in a staged approach over time, the paper recommends key priority groups in the first instance, with further expansion in the future.

The paper also outlines recommendations for changes to the way diabetes technologies are assessed and approved in Australia and investment in the diabetes workforce to support people living with diabetes get the most out of technology.

New funding announced for diabetes technology research

During National Diabetes Week, 芒果直播 announced a new funding program to support research into life-changing diabetes technologies.

The Diabetes Technology Research Accelerator Grant Program has been designed to fast-track the development of new diabetes technologies.

The research program will bring together technology and pharmaceutical industries with world leading researchers to get new technologies into the hands of people with diabetes who need them most.

芒果直播 will be investing seed funding of $250,000 and we are calling for matched funding from industry partners to help generate $1 million to spear-head this initiative and create real change.

Marrin Weejali event highlights need for technology access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Federal MP backs campaign with activation in Sydney鈥檚 West

In collaboration with Federal Member for Fowler, Dai Le MP, 芒果直播 hosted an activation at Cabramatta Plaza, in Sydney鈥檚 West. Fowler has a strong multicultural community with rates of diabetes much higher than the national average. Hundreds turned out to engage in the event, chat with a diabetes health professional and hear about the campaign for fair and equitable access to diabetes technology.

Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service launched

芒果直播 is proud to be backing the new Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service, launched during National Diabetes Week.

The first of its kind in Australia service aims to provide emergency specialist support services for people living with diabetes and revolutionise the management of diabetes emergencies across Victoria.

Expert modelling shows huge cost savings for diabetes technology

News coverage during National Diabetes Week highlighted new research which shows CGM devices can dramatically reduce the risk of life-threatening diabetes-related complications including blindness, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure for people living with type 2 diabetes.

芒果直播 Chief Medical Officer Professor David Simmons is a co-author on research presented recently at the American Diabetes Association conference. It studied people with type 2 diabetes on intensive insulin therapy in Australia.

The analysis shows CGM would massively reduce eye, renal, neuropathy, and cardiovascular complications of the condition by 17.7, 21.1, 8.7 and 2.5 per cent respectively.

April Welsh shares the life changing impact of diabetes technology

April Welsh, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three, knows the life changing impact of diabetes technology. It鈥檚 helped her chase her dreams and compete professionally in motorsport, racing in Formula Vee in WA.

At a National Diabetes Week event hosted by Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre based at Perth Children’s Hospital and Telethon Kids Institute, April met with a group of children newly diagnosed with type 1 who are just starting out on their journey with diabetes tech.

Perth Diabetes Care roundtable highlights need to keep the conversation going

To cap off the week, a roundtable event hosted by Perth Diabetes Care provided a forum to hear from more people about how much fair and equitable access to technology would mean to them.

Let鈥檚 keep the conversation going

The national conversation, which commenced in the months leading up to National Diabetes Week, will continue well beyond July as the diabetes community continues to unite around this issue.

This fight starts and ends with community. Together we can make a difference!

Let鈥檚 unite in the fight for tech.

Missed health checks and reduced access to routine health care for people living with type 2 diabetes could be costing the Australian health system around $2.3B per annum, according to 芒果直播.

New modelling from 芒果直播, based on US research, found that the cost impact of people in Australia living with type 2 diabetes not receiving recommended care was around AU$3,564 per person per annum. 

An estimated 50% of Australians living with type 2 diabetes are not accessing a range of recommended diabetes health checks that help to prevent and manage diabetes-related complications including checks for diabetes management, cholesterol, eyes, kidneys, feet and others.

Missed health checks contribute to the increased prevalence of diabetes-related hospitalisations and complications. Annually this includes:

• 710,000 admissions to hospital for dialysis
• 256,000 admissions to hospital for other kidney-related conditions
• 19,000 diabetes-related emergency admissions
• 100,000 hospitalisations for eye complications
• 5,163 amputations

This results in extra costs to the health system, with an increased prevalence of diabetes-related complications, many of which are preventable.

The new cost analysis was released at the start of National Diabetes Week which runs from July 9 鈥� 15.

芒果直播 Group CEO Justine Cain said the modelling highlighted the importance of supporting Australians living with all types of diabetes to receive the best possible healthcare.

鈥淒iabetes is complex and can lead to a range of debilitating and costly complications, many that can be prevented or delayed by ensuring people receive timely and appropriate medical care,鈥� Ms Cain said.

鈥淥ne of the challenges with Australia鈥檚 healthcare system is that it has been orientated towards treating people when they are sick and unwell, rather than preventing issues before they develop. 

鈥淔or people with diabetes, this means we need to better ensure people can easily access the routine health checks which can detect problems like heart and kidney disease and vision loss early when they are most treatable.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we are strong supporters of the Federal Government鈥檚 Strengthening Medicare process which will create a health system that better meets the needs of people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes.鈥�

Ms Cain said this National Diabetes Week, 芒果直播 was launching the nation鈥檚 biggest ever conversation about diabetes to hear from people living with the condition about improving the quality of healthcare they receive and inform its submission to the Australian Government鈥檚 Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to amplify the voice of people with diabetes who understand the reality of living with diabetes better than anyone to ensure this inquiry focusses on the priorities that will change the future,鈥� she said.

鈥溍⒐辈� is encouraging people to complete our National Community Consultation Survey and attend one of our Great Debates either in person or online.鈥� 

Dr Gaurav Puri, Clinical Director of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Logan Hospital and the current Chair of Queensland Statewide Diabetes Clinical Network, said it was important to pinpoint the blockages and gaps in the current system that are making it harder for people living with type 2 diabetes to access optimum care.

鈥淭he economic impact of sub-optimal care is a significant and extensive issue that needs to be addressed,鈥� Dr Puri said. 

鈥淲e need to have a health system that is geared towards supporting people living with diabetes to live well and prevent diabetes-related complications and protect our health system.鈥�

Glenn Lewis, 71, from outside Pimpama, has lived with type 2 diabetes for about eight years. He is grateful that he understood the importance of staying on top of his condition from its earliest stages, and that his GP was determined to help him access the best diabetes care.

鈥淏efore I retired, I was an instrument and control engineer for petrochemical companies, and I had a good understanding about balancing my blood glucose levels,” Glenn said. 鈥淎bout two years after I was diagnosed, my body wasn鈥檛 responding to medication, so I went straight to insulin. Some people resist doing that, but I knew I had to keep my blood glucose levels in a healthy range.

鈥淢y doctor was also insistent from the beginning that I completed my Annual Cycle of Care appointments and checks. I attend all my regular appointments for eyes, feet, liver and kidney function, and heart checks.

鈥淚 understand that with a condition like diabetes, you must stay on top of it. I want to prevent the possible complications rather than have to deal with them.鈥� 

Find out more about 2023 National Diabetes Week and details regarding Australia鈥檚 biggest conversation about the impact of diabetes.

To mark 芒果直播鈥檚 ongoing campaign to Unite in the Fight for Change, the sails of the Sydney Opera House were lit blue on Thursday evening.

We are grateful for the support of the Sydney Opera House to help raise awareness of the impact of diabetes and the need for action to change the lives of millions of Australians.

Since 2006, the blue circle, and colour blue more generally, have provided a universal symbol for diabetes. Introduced as part of a United Nations Resolution to give diabetes a common identity, the circle symbolises unity and the blue border of the circle reflects the colour of the sky and the flag of the United Nations. The United Nations is in itself a symbol of unity amongst nations and is the only organisation that can signal to governments everywhere that it is time to fight diabetes and reverse the global trends that will impede economic development and cause so much suffering and premature death.

Similarly, our new campaign calls for unity in the fight for change.

Without action, diabetes will continue to negatively impact people鈥檚 lives and our health system. Our ambition for the future is bold. We want a future where diabetes can do no harm.

Urgent action is needed to:

• Prevent people from developing type 2 diabetes
• Support people with diabetes to live long and live well
• Reduce the health, social and financial impacts of diabetes
• Find a cure.

To achieve this ambition we must drive change.

On the same day as the sails were lit blue, we participated in the launch of the Western Sydney Changing Diabetes initiative. We鈥檙e proud to be a partner of , working locally to increase the proportion of the healthy population, slow the progression towards being at risk of diabetes, and reduce the size of the at-risk population.

It is initiatives like Western Sydney Changing Diabetes that we will fight for more of, to change the trajectory of the diabetes epidemic.

It鈥檚 time to unite to drive change and have a greater impact.

Together we can change the lives of millions of Australians, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents, and loved ones, who are living with diabetes or will develop the condition in the years ahead. That鈥檚 why we are asking all Australians to join us and unite for change.

National Diabetes Week is an opportunity to increase awareness of the growing rates of diabetes, but sometimes it feels like diabetes is so common we become numb to its seriousness. This is particularly true in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia.鈥�  

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with diabetes experience stigma daily through comments, blame and shame for having diabetes and how they manage it.鈥� 

Diabetes is a chronic condition that has been linked to social and emotional health issues. With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia experiencing higher rates of diabetes and mental health, it鈥檚 important we are mindful of what we are saying to people about their diabetes, and to be compassionate and understanding of what it might be like for someone living with diabetes.鈥� 

This week is also a timely reminder for those living with diabetes and experiencing depression or anxiety to visit their local health service and seek support.鈥�  

Throughout my time working in health, I have come across multiple stories of the impact diabetes has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people鈥檚 social and emotional wellbeing. Young people having to deal with amputations and locking themselves in their homes, being too ashamed to come out in case people judge them. A close family member who is terminally ill and also recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes – I worry for him and about his mental health and wellbeing every day; for him it鈥檚 another condition he has to manage that restricts him from what is 鈥榥ormal鈥� life for him. 鈥� 

For some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, finding out they have diabetes can be confronting, confusing and scary. If our environments don鈥檛 support people鈥檚 ability to manage their diabetes, then the condition can worsen, not because they don鈥檛 want to manage it but because they find it so difficult.  

We need to recognise how important environments are in managing diabetes, particularly in rural and remote areas. Limited access to affordable healthy foods and safe places to be active become issues for those living with diabetes; can you imagine how frustrating it must be? Shaming people for their inability to make and maintain changes can impact on our families and friends living with diabetes more than we realise.鈥��  

As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people some of our strengths are family and community and supporting each other when things seem tough. Eddie Fewings, speaking on the Heads Together forum this week, said how important peer support is in managing his diabetes. He and his mates who live with diabetes take time to check on each other and provide support. This is really important for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.  

Remember just as nutrition and physical activity are important for managing diabetes, so is social and emotional wellbeing.鈥�  

By Deanne Minniecon, National Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement

I have been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 53 years and can say that it is a condition that you can NEVER forget about.

I was diagnosed in my final year of university when I was called into the army and then to Vietnam. The medical examination required prior discovered my diabetes. I was very mentally distressed as there had been no diabetes in my family.

I was fortunate that I had always worked in tertiary education and so usually had quite regular daily routines. I was always aware that when I had to give a lecture I made sure that I had enough carbs to deal with the mental and physical aspects of this task.

I did find it mentally challenging when I was required to attend on campus breakfast staff meetings. I had to travel to the campus and inject while sitting around the meeting table with my fellow colleagues. Sometimes disapproving glances were given or comments made if I selected a small piece of a pastry rather than a large piece of 鈥楩rench toast鈥�. The assumption being that the toast was better for diabetes than puff pastry.

On a couple of occasions when I had an unexpected hypo at work, I was usually angry at my feeling of failure in controlling the condition. If had severe overnight hypos mostly I still went to work because I felt that a day鈥檚 sick leave would be an admission that I was failing to manage my diabetes.

Now that I am retired, I mentally began to unravel from the demands of the condition. All the care with controlling blood sugars over the 50 years never makes you 鈥榳ell鈥�.

I am seeing a psychologist now which I has helped me unpack a lot of issues.

Over the decades the support for diabetes management has varied greatly. I had some really good diabetes educators, and some I wasn鈥檛 very happy with.
I currently have a great medical team and my wife has always supported me.

In summary, after all these years the technology available to manage the condition has improved enormously but mentally it is still a daily task to make decisions about how much to eat, how much exercise to do, how then this will affect the blood glucose levels. It is a condition which results in you having a mental cage inside. It is very difficult to make spontaneous decisions about what to do each day of my life.

Mentally it NEVER STOPS.

By Geoffery Roberts