When the mum of a child with type 1 diabetes looks at you and says the cost of diabetes care is getting harder to manage, and the whole family is making sacrifices, it’s very hard to hear. The cost of living crisis in Australia is hitting the whole community hard but it is definitely amplified for our diabetes community.

 As a mum myself, I know parents would do anything for their child’s health.

With the rising cost of living, diabetes care is becoming more challenging than ever, with some families really struggling to make ends meet.

Diabetes YOUnited is Diabetes Australia’s new free national membership program. It’s designed to ensure all Australians living with diabetes, no matter where they’re from or whatever their financial situation, can access the services they need to live a full and healthy life.

I’ll be travelling around the country in the coming weeks talking to people about Diabetes YOUnited, and I want to bring you along to meet some amazing people as they tell their stories about diabetes in Australia.

Today I caught up with Perth mum Yvette Saint at the Murray Street Mall.

I joined Yvette and her children Olivia (9) and Emily (6) to hear about their journey with type 1 diabetes. Olivia was diagnosed just before her third birthday, a time filled with constant finger pricks and injections.

Yvette spoke about how frightening those early days were before Olivia’s diagnosis. Today, thanks to continuous glucose monitoring and an insulin pump, Olivia’s diabetes management has improved.

Yet the cost of these technologies is placing a heavy burden on the family’s finances.

Yvette shared with me that Olivia’s little sister, Emily, has tested positive repeatedly to diabetes antibodies. Doctors say she is also going to develop type 1 diabetes in the future.

During our conversation, we discussed how important it is to have affordable access to diabetes technologies, especially if they have two children living with type 1 diabetes. For families like the Saints, the cost of essential devices, including up to $9,000 annually for an insulin pump per child, can be a major obstacle. We talked about Diabetes Australia’s campaign for increased Federal Government subsidies to make this life-changing technology accessible to all families in need.

The Saint family’s story highlights the realities faced by many Australian families navigating the complexities of type 1 diabetes, and just how resilient they are in the face of significant challenges.

Through Diabetes YOUnited, we hope to be able to support even more Australians with the information they need to access good healthcare.

As Yvette and I wrapped up our conversation, I was reminded about just how much having a supportive community around you matters.

Stay tuned for more blog posts in the next few weeks as I meet more amazing individuals living with diabetes and share their stories. 

The “On the Go with the GCEO” series is amplifying the voices of people with lived experience of diabetes, and frontline healthcare professionals, to build awareness and drive policy change. Stay tuned as Justine continues her journey across Australia, meeting with more families and communities who inspire us all with their stories.