By Benjamin Jardine. As I head into the weekend I am again working hard on preparation for the HBF Run for a Reason in support of the Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre. Many bags of lollies have been lost to the cause as I have sought to balance my insulin and glucose levels (hence the calculator!) But every time I get frustrated I am reminded of the incredible feats that people living with type 1 diabetes can accomplish despite this challenging condition. Did you know for example that people with type 1 diabetes have run ultra-marathons, swam the Rottnest Channel (see below), played in the Superb ..read more

The Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Peter Bennett, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Clough, as Board Chair, effective 23 February 2023. Mr Bennett succeeds Mr Robert Towner, who has served in the position since June 2021, and as a director since the organisation's inception. As Board Chair, Mr Bennett will work closely with the Family Centre's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Benjamin Jardine, to guide the organisation's strategic direction and further advance its mission of providing support for people living with type 1 diabetes across Aus ..read more

Our CEO Benjamin Jardine joined the Not-for-Profits Strategy Podcast and explains why most Mission statements produce bad Strategy ... and why a cleverly defined Mission lays the foundations for great Strategy. A must listen episode for Not-for-Profits who feel stuck in the zero sum game of balancing Mission and Financial Sustainability ..read more

We’re excited to introduce our newest friend of the centre, Karen Hembrow! Karen is launching a new Life Coaching service, and we’re excited to welcome her to the tribe. So what is Life Coaching? Well, if you’ve got the basics of diabetes management down pat, now might be the time to revisit your life goals and aspirations. As you know, we believe you can do anything while living with type 1, but sometimes we need a coach and guide on the journey. Someone to help us challenge what is holding us back, so we can really live the life we want to live. Karen is a qualified life coach. Throughout h ..read more

With Benjamin Jardine Our recent kids surfing event for children with type 1 has been a great reminder of the importance of finding and doing things you enjoy, and not letting type 1 diabetes get in the way of a life well lived. I have always felt that one of the great tragedies of a type 1 diagnosis is that people can end up discarding their dreams, and assuming things are no longer possible because of the disease. The Family Centre works to ensure that everyone living with type 1 diabetes gets the support, guidance and encouragement to live the life they want to live. We know, with the right ..read more

A group of WA kids hit the beach on 12 February, in an annual event designed to show young people they can live a full life with type 1 diabetes. The 34 kids are members of the Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre, a world-class diabetes support service located in Perth’s northern suburbs. Type 1 diabetes is one the most complex self-managed medical condition on earth. Managing type 1 requires daily insulin injections just to stay alive, as well as complex and often overwhelming 24/7 blood glucose management. A parent of a child living with Type 1 must make around 180 extra decisions each day, just ..read more

First festive season with type 1? There’s so much excitement, and odds are your routine will be interrupted, so it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little apprehensive about managing your condition effectively during this time. To help, Amy Rush and Beck Newton, our Family Centre diabetes educators, are sharing their top ten tips for managing type 1 at Christmas. With some good plans to support you, you can minimise the challenges and maximise the fun! Tip # 1: Be prepared for some of the things people might say. At Christmas parties and family gatherings, sometimes you hear things like ..read more

Part 4 of Access to hope: The discovery of insulin 100 years on Bec Johnson, Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre CEO November 14, 2021 “[The] initial positive views on the prospects of insulin therapy in the 1920s are in harsh contrast to the reality that many people with diabetes face some 100 years later, specifically owing to lack of access to insulin.” – David Beran When insulin was first discovered, the research team that discovered it was clear in its commitment to make no profit from its discovery. Sir Frederick Banting reportedly declared that “Insulin does not belong to me, it belongs to th ..read more

Part 3 of Access to hope: The discovery of insulin 100 years on Bec Johnson, Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre CEO November 14, 2021 “We can teach many patients together and each is likely to teach another” – Elliot P. Joslin Type 1 diabetes can be a profoundly isolating condition to live with. Invisible to others, the mental load of making 180+ extra decisions each day[1] in order to manage glucose levels is a burden that only people impacted by diabetes understand. Connection to others who live with diabetes is paramount. Peers facilitate knowledge exchange, provide social support, and most of a ..read more

Part 2 of Access to hope: The discovery of insulin 100 years on Bec Johnson, Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre CEO November 14, 2021 “The diabetic who knows the most, lives the longest” – Elliot P. Joslin Knowledge is power, and the quality of information accessed by people with diabetes is critical. One area where quality information is of utmost importance is the dietary advice given to people with diabetes, which in Australia is to eat according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.[1] Under the Guidelines, an adult’s daily intake should include of six serves of grain-based carbohydrate foods a ..read more