My Diabetes Advocacy

Always wanting to help I took part in a medical trial which ran from 2005. It was called ASCEND: A Study of Cardiovascular Events iN Diabetes. It was a randomised trial looking at the effects of aspirin and of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) in people with diabetes.

Study link button below:

I have ventured more into social media, as most of what I have learnt about looping with an insulin pump came from that medium.

There are dozens of self-help groups on Facebook, Twitter & WhatsApp groups regarding all sorts of information about diabetes.

So, I decided it was time to #payback to the diabetes community some of the knowledge about diabetes, pumping & looping that I have learnt via social media. To this end I have set up this website.  I also have a presence on Twitter & Facebook. Go to my contacts page for details.

As a Diabetes UK Medallist in 2021 I helped Aberdeen City Council to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Insulin, I recorded links for Aberdeen Art Gallery's diabetes related photos for their on line exhibition '100 Years of Insulin: The Aberdeen Story'. Alongside this I was one of the panellists as part of the 'TechFest Talks, A Personal Journey Through Diabetes', Explorathon'21 Edition.   Press Button below.

I have also attended events such as Rise of the Machines: The Return 2021 & TADtalks 2022, where I met up with Paul @DiabeticDadUK. Who asked me if I would do a video 'Dad Chat' with him. Of course I said yes.

I was a participant at the 2022 WHO's Informal Consultation for People Living With Diabetes. More, recently I was a guest speaker at the WHO Global Diabetes Compact Forum in November. Sharing my lived experiences with diabetes tech.

As a diabetes advocate In April 2022, I joined #dedoc° as a #dedoc° voice & virtually attended #ATTD2022 conference & the #EASD2022 & #EASD2023 conferences, where I was pleased to be included in the Most Prolific Tweeter section of the #EASD2022 Influencers chart. 

Back in February 2023 I was privileged as an #dedoc° alumni, to have personally attended the #ATTD2023 conference in Berlin, Germany.  In March this year I attended at #ATTD in Florence. This was a great opportunity to #PayItForward again as a #dedoc° voice.  The live sessions were amazing.  It is always wonderful to meet in person fellow voices from our #dedoc° family & to network with healthcare professionals,  technology innovators  & manufacturers, all in the same place.  Please see Blogposts for my blog called "ATTD 2024 My Take on the Tech Fair.

In April 2024 I attended the Diabetes UK Professional Care Conference in London. This was the very first UK conference that #dedoc° voices were able attend.
Personally I did not see many sessions as I used conference for networking with HCPs etc.
Under UK rules we were not allowed to approach or talk to 'Pharma' companies. Different from European conferences.  

My Disclosure

I am part of the #dedoc° voices programme, an initiative of #dedoc°. The #dedoc° organisation grant me complimentary registration to conferences that I attend as a #dedoc° voice either virtually or in person.  They also provide my flights & hotel fees for my in person attendances.

Part of being one of the #dedoc° voices is to share what I learn with the diabetes community.  Everything I share is my opinion of events that transpired. 

#ATTD #EASD  #dedoc° #dedoc° voices #PayItForward #nothingaboutuswithoutus #languagematters

On 12 September 2022,  I was invited by Tom Dean @welshy_89, Chris and the Diabetes Chat community to speak on the #diabeteschat Twitter Space as their guest speaker and we talked about: 
- My Diabetes Journey and diagnosis in 1954.
- Evolution of Technology.
- Advocacy & Peer Support.

Please press Button below to link:

On 16 October 2022 I was excited to attend the Diabetes Professional Care exhibition @diabetespc, as guest speaker for DSN Forum UK's brunch @dsnforumuk. I was asked to speak about my diabetes technology from old glass syringes & old urine testing kits up to my current DIY looping system AndroidAPS. 

My thanks to Amanda Epps @Amandaepps123, Bethany Kelly @sotonDSN, Vicki Alabraba @vickiaDSN & Tasmin Fletcher-Salt @Tazzy_devil777 pictured above, for looking after me.

Together, with Cate Garratt @CateGarratt, we set up a WhatsApp group 'S W London Peer Support Group for Pumpers & Loopers'. But recently we have decided to widen the scope of our group & we have now renamed it to 'London Type 1 Diabetes Peer Support Group'.

'London Type 1 Diabetes Peer Support Group'

The group is for all type 1 diabetics whether you are using diabetes tech or not. We know that diabetes is a continuous learning curve. In fact we are all still learning so you don't have to be alone. Just ask. Someone in the group will know the answer. The group has many knowledgeable diabetics, some looping with DIY pump systems. So we welcome members to bounce problems, issues and ideas around in this group when they hit a brick wall.

If you would like to join our friendly group message me by pressing Contact button.