Learn about what really matters to people living with diabetes around the world.
Insights, Stories & Perspectives
The #dedoc° blog features articles and opinion pieces written by our international network of diabetes advocates: the #dedoc° voices. From scientific conferences to the latest diabetes research and technology, from challenges faced by those living with diabetes to global disparities in healthcare, our #dedoc° voices cover it all.
Diabetes advocates wishing to contribute to the #dedoc° blog are welcome to submit a guest post using the link below.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch — we love to hear from you, and so do thousands of others!
All opinions are those of the authors.
Contact: blog@dedoc.org
What Jaipur taught me: Diabetes Should Not Be a Character Test
For thirteen years, Heather believed her type 2 diabetes diagnosis was the result of a personal failure. Attending the Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma in Jaipur challenged that belief and helped her recognize the burden of internalized stigma she had quietly carried for years. In this deeply personal reflection, Heather explores how blame, language, and misconceptions can shape the lives of people living with diabetes, often with lasting consequences for their wellbeing and care. Her story is a powerful reminder that diabetes is not a character test—and that replacing judgment with understanding is essential to ending diabetes stigma.
End Diabetes Stigma! Why a Global Summit Matters
The Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma brings together people living with diabetes, advocates, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers from around the world to move beyond awareness and toward action. Taking place in Jaipur, India, on March 28–29, 2026, the Summit is designed as a shared space for dialogue, co-creation, and collaboration. With lived experience at its core, it aims to challenge stigma across healthcare, policy, and society, and to build practical, collective solutions to help end diabetes stigma globally. #dedoc° offers 100 travel grants for advocates from LMICs to ensure diverse attendance and impact around the world.