I’m popping back in from my blog break to share this wonderful video which premiered at the AADE conference in Baltimore over the weekend.

It’s a brilliant example of co-design, with the coordinator of the project, Deb Greenwood, working with people with diabetes, healthcare professionals, researchers and other key stakeholders to talk about the importance of language matters in diabetes.

The result is this three minute video which highlights how simple it can be to reframe the words we use, and to focus on empowering and supporting people with diabetes rather than judging and stigmatising us.

Please share this video. If you have diabetes, share it with your friends and family; if you are in a diabetes support group, share it with other group members and have a chat about it at your next meeting; I would urge (and hope that) diabetes organisations share the link on their socials and in newsletters and on websites; HCPs could watch and discuss during staff meetings; industry reps could also share through all their networks, and align their messaging with what they see and hear in this video. This is relevant to anyone and everyone affected by diabetes and/or working with people with diabetes.

We’ve been saying it for years: language matters. Let’s continue to improve the way we speak about and to people living with diabetes.

DISCLOSURE

Well done to the wonderful Deb Greenwood for coordinating this video and to Mytonomy for funding its development. I was invited by Deb to provide input in the script used in the video and then, while at ADA in Orlando, was filmed for it. I was kindly provided with a gift voucher for my efforts – and a makeup and hair stylist to make me look like a cable news anchor.