How about we celebrate Diabetes Awareness Month together?
Professional drag performer and Omnipod® Ambassador, Grace Shush, shares how they like to mark one of the most fundamental dates in the diabetes calendar: Diabetes Awareness Month, and at its heart: World Diabetes Day. They also include a very important message to the diabetes community… Read on to find out…
*Grace has been paid a fee to create this content
For me, National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM) and World Diabetes Day (WDD) is a time for everyone in the Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) community to come together and recognise the work we put in Every. Single. Day.
Living with T1D is a journey, and it’s not a straightforward one. This month is an acknowledgment of that hard work, and while it’s also a time for educating others, for me, the heart of Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day is celebration.
I think about how strong we all are – this is a time to look around, appreciate what we’re doing, and remember that we’re not alone in it.
Managing T1D takes a lot of resilience, patience, and flexibility, and it can feel isolating at times. But at this time of year, the blue ribbons and the conversations remind us that we’re in it together.
And that’s something worth celebrating!
How I Celebrate
Part of marking this special month is through awareness, and this November, you’ll catch me in blue.
From ribbons to clothing, it isn’t just about looking back on our experiences but about educating others on what life with T1D truly looks like. Whether it’s dispelling myths, talking about the day-to-day challenges, or highlighting the amazing tech that helps us manage, like my tubeless insulin delivery system Omnipod®.
It’s an important opportunity to bring people into our world.
What I Want People to Take Away
One of the biggest takeaways I’d love people to have from NDAM is this: however you’re managing your diabetes, you are doing enough.
Living with T1D is hard, and everyone’s approach is different. Some people might want to dive into all the data and numbers, while others find a rhythm that’s just about keeping life moving forward.
And that’s okay.
There’s no perfect way to do it; there’s just the way that works for you. So, let’s drop the judgment, especially the self-judgment.
I want this time of year to remind all of us that we’re doing something truly tough, and we should feel proud of that. Ending the stigma around diabetes starts with understanding it’s a journey—one that each person takes at their own pace.
So, here’s to Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day, to the blue ribbons, and to all of us who are making it work, day by day.
Whether you’re managing diabetes yourself or supporting someone who is, remember: you are doing enough.