Christmas is a time to enjoy yourself. And when it comes to the festive period, and especially Christmas Day, this is a time not to be too hard on yourself when it comes to diabetes.   In this seasonal episode Jack Woodfield from our content team is joined by Jay James and Catherine Brannigan to discuss the highs and lows of living with diabetes at Christmas.   Jay is the lead singer of vocal harmony group The Overtones. His son Franklin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2022, aged 3. Catherine works in finance and lives in Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear. She was diagno ..read more

Getting enough sleep is important for our health and wellbeing, but getting a good night’s rest can be easier said than done for people living with or affected by diabetes.      In this episode, Jack Woodfield from our content team is joined by Iain Dale and Nina Wadia OBE, to discuss diabetes and sleep, as well as the many ways living with diabetes can be life-changing, from food to technology to how it can impact our jobs.     Nina is an award-winning actress and comedian whose son, Aidan, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2017 at the age of ten. She tells us how the ..read more

Stigma can take many forms – from myths and misconceptions about diabetes to negative behaviour towards those living with the condition, and it can have a serious impact on people’s overall health and wellbeing.    In this episode, Jack Woodfield from our Content and News team is joined by Jim Crossland and Nicki Hornby.     Jim is 24 and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 2. He talks candidly about some of his experiences growing up which left him feeling ‘different’ and shares how he’s slowly starting to redefine the condition to help him feel more empowered ..read more

Diabetes treatments are varied and can include medication, changes to what you eat, and technology. But it can be challenging trying to understand how treatments work.     In this episode, Jack Woodfield from our content team is joined by Shivali Modha and Professor Partha Kar.     Shivali is an accountant who lives in North London, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes aged 26. She talks about the shock of her diagnosis and how she struggled with the side effects of treatments in the first few years.   Partha is a diabetes co-lead at NHS England and a consu ..read more

Research is vital if we’re to better understand, treat and prevent diabetes. But what’s it like to take part in research? Here, we explore the world of research trials, and also talk about some of the most innovative and exciting research projects that we’re funding. In this episode, Jack Woodfield from Diabetes UK is joined by Sarah Parsons and Dr Vicky Salem. Sarah lives in Plymouth and works in occupational administration. She was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 21 and has dedicated herself to taking part in diabetes research, and she is now training to be an NHS Research Cha ..read more

Diabetes doesn’t just impact you physically - it’s something you have to think about every single day. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population.    In this episode Jack Woodfield from Diabetes UK is joined by Kayleigh Steel and Dr Amrit Sachar to discuss mental wellbeing.     Kayleigh lives in Stafford and works in HR. She was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes the day before her 23rd birthday. She shares how her diagnosis has impacted her mental wellbeing and why she’s found it difficult to ge ..read more

Technology in diabetes care has taken huge leaps forward in recent years, from insulin pumps to continuous glucose monitors, and it's changing the lives of many people and families affected by diabetes. But many people living with diabetes are not able to access technology or choose not to.   In this episode, Jack Woodfield, News Content Producer here at Diabetes UK is joined by Georgia Weston, Sam Dottin and Dr Waqas Tahir to explore the world of diabetes technology and the benefits it can bring, as well as the challenges facing availability and uptake.   Georgia is a medical ..read more