A conference for people living with Type 1 Diabetes is taking place on Saturday, 6th May in The Crown Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, Dublin.
The conference will include many speakers living with type 1 diabetes, opportunities to meet others with diabetes, and to find out about the latest technology in diabetes treatments. This event is organised by Thriveabetes, an organisation run by people living with type 1 diabetes. Advanced registration is required to attend.
Thriveabetes aims to bring people with diabetes together to share experiences living with this lifelong chronic condition, so that no person with diabetes feels alone! This is the fifth conference since its creation in 2015, which have been attended by almost 300 people. The attendees are adults and young adults living with Type 1 Diabetes, as well as parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes. The event also includes an exhibition with many of the companies who provide diabetes devices to the community as well as some small diabetes businesses.
The conference was created by two people living with Type 1 Diabetes from Clare, Gráinne Flynn and Christine Meehan. Gráinne Flynn was diagnosed with diabetes at age 20 thirty years ago. She created a diabetes support group in Clare in 2007 when she struggled to find the care and support she needed to help her manage her diabetes. She went on to create a blog to share the information she was learning about diabetes services, and is an active member of the Irish Diabetes Online Community.
Gráinne met Christine at the first Clare Diabetes Support Group meeting. Christine was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in her 30’s in 2006. She describes those first few years of trying to get to grips with it as often being “a daily struggle, juggling all the different elements that have an effect on my blood glucose levels, sometimes I felt so alone and frustrated”. People with Type 1 Diabetes make approximately 180 decisions about their diabetes management per day making it a 24 hours a day, seven days a week job with no time off – ever. Thriveabetes was created to offer somewhere people with diabetes could connect with others like them and because of the unmet need to discuss the psycho-social aspect of living with the condition.
The conference will include many international and national speakers living with type 1 diabetes, including:
Stacey Simms, from the US, is host of the Diabetes Connections podcast and author of the “The World’s Worst Diabetes Mom” book series. Stacey’s son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a toddler in 2006, and she started blogging about her family’s experience with Type 1 Diabetes a few weeks later.
Kamil Armacky, creator of the Nerdabetic YouTube channel where he reviews diabetes technology devices and interviews CEOs of diabetes companies. Gavin Griffiths, marathon runner and founder of the “League of Diathletes” charity. Dr Kevin Moore, Consultant Endocrinologist in Tallaght, Naas and Beacon Hospitals, and many more.
Thriveabetes takes place on Saturday, 6th May in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Blanchardstown, Dublin. It will feature speakers who live with diabetes and includes an exhibition with many of the companies who provide diabetes devices to the community. Advanced registration is required to attend.
For more information you can email Thriveabetes or visit the website.