Why National Diabetes Week Is Important For Everyone

In 2021, Diabetes Australia is continuing their ‘Heads Up’ campaign for National Diabetes Week (11 – 17^th July, 2021). You may be wondering why this is important for you, if neither yourself nor people in your life are impacted by diabetes, however the week and campaign are about more than just sufferers of the illness.

The ‘Heads Up’ campaign focuses on the mental and emotional health of people living with diabetes, spotlighting the stigma on diabetes and mental health.

Did you know more than 4 in 5 people with diabetes have experienced diabetes stigma? Did you know nearly 50% of people with diabetes have experiences mental health challenges in the last 12 months?

Stigma affects all aspects of life for people with diabetes, including their mental health and wellbeing.  

People experience diabetes stigma when they are blamed for having diabetes, while managing diabetes such as injecting insulin in public and when they experience the affects and complications of diabetes such as low blood sugar. 

This National Diabetes Week, let’s have a conversation about the real impact diabetes stigma can have on a person’s mental and emotional wellbeing!

Help raise awareness about the campaign by spreading the word, using #NDW2021 and #headsupdiabetes, as well as joining the Heads Together forum on Tuesday 13 July from 7pm – 8.30pm. It will be Australia’s biggest online discussion about mental health and diabetes stigma.