This week (8th-14th June) is National Diabetes Awareness Week 2026 and this year’s theme is “Strike Out Stigma” which aims to challenge the judgementand misconceptions that many people with diabetes face, helping people understand that nobody chooses diabetes and it isn’t anyone’s fault. Stigma can harm both wellbeing and diabetes management.
Owen from Liverpool is now 14 and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 11. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin and requires lifelong artificial insulin. Common symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, and increased hunger. Owen wants to highlight his experience of living with Type 1 diabetes and the importance of improving understanding of the condition to help ‘strike out stigma.’
When Owen turned 11, he and his mum Susan, noticed that he was suddenly always thirsty and as a result, urinating more frequently. Luckily, Susan recognised the potential signs of Type 1 diabetes and went straight to their GP, who sent them to A&E at Alder Hey. Owen’s blood test revealed that his blood sugar levels were beyond the ‘normal’ range and he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. His mum stayed up all night learning about the condition and on day one Owen bravely gave himself his first injection of insulin. The diabetes team helped him learn more about the condition and was able to discharge him after just one day.
For the first 9 months after being diagnosed, Owen really struggled mentally. He found it hard getting used to injecting every day and the constant concern from worried friends and family members, who he thought were ‘nagging’ him about his sugar levels. However, as time went on, something switched inside him, and it became just part of his daily routine, and life became easier. Owen reached out for support from the diabetes team, including his youth worker, Kirsty and found that he could still do everything he had done before, it just might need a little bit more planning and awareness.
Owen said he wishes people knew that “I didn’t choose this, and it is not something I could have prevented. Understanding this makes it easier for people like me to feel understood rather than judged.”
Mum Susan has been his biggest support and said, “When Owen was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I worried about how much it would affect his life. But one of the best things we did was not let everything revolve around diabetes and have a more relaxed approach. Of course, it’s something we have to think about every day, but it’s become part of our normal routine. The technology available now has made such a difference, and we’ve had brilliant support from our diabetes team whenever we’ve needed it. There are, unfortunately, still gaps in education, don’t be afraid to ask your diabetes team to reach out to schools or clubs to help them understand more around management. There are so many people and resources out there to help. I’m so proud of Owen, he just wants to help other young people out there feel better about their diagnosis and know that they can live a normal life.”
Owen lives his life to the max and loves going out on his bike, water sports and gaming, he said “Don’t change- you can still do all the things you love with type 1 diabetes, it just needs a little more care.”
Dr Fulya Mehta, Consultant Paediatric Diabetologist at Alder Hey, said: “A diabetes diagnosis is the start of a new journey, not the end of the life you love. With the right support, education, and care, we can help children and young people and their families build confidence, stay healthy, and continue to live their life to the fullest.”