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

Diabetes Australia 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… [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’s. 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
• Alström 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, Diabetes Australia’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’s 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 IDF Western Pacific Region Congress 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…” 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.