World Diabetes Day: Beyond insulin & carb counts; how support groups help manage Type 1 diabetes

On the occasion of World Diabetes Day (November 14), parents like Chavan or the sports champion Aastha show that with the right guidance and care, living with Type 1 diabetes goes far beyond medical routines and is a journey of discipline, courage and community support.

Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This means individuals with Type 1 diabetes must rely on daily insulin therapy, frequent blood glucose monitoring and careful meal planning to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

“This is a life-long condition that requires constant management, awareness and resilience,” says Nupur Lalvani, Pune-based founder of Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation and who has been living with T1D since the age of eight. Lalvani said it was the country’s largest patient-led non-profit dedicated to empowering people living with all types of diabetes. “These support networks are crucial as apart from a vibrant online community, we have offline peer support groups, workshops and other initiatives that make living with diabetes a little easier every day,” Lalvani said.

Chavan couldn’t agree more and recalled how devastated she and her husband were as first-time parents when their two year old daughter Ovi was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. “Instead of support we were shamed, blamed and isolated for our child’s condition,” she recalled. While dealing with the struggle of giving daily insulin injections to ensure their baby survives, Savita’s husband met with a fatal accident. While coping with the loss, Savita also had to ensure that she kept up with the diabetes regimen for her daughter who was five years old by then. “The only good thing I felt is being around the other T1D people through the Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation support group, who could understand our challenges without judging us,” she added.

At Hinduja Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the 110-year-old Hinduja group, more than 1,000 underprivileged children across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai have been assisted through their Type 1 Diabetes Initiative. This is a model that provides medical, nutritional and emotional care to the children free of cost.

Dr Phulrenu Chauhan, consultant endocrinologist, P D Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, said by combining advanced tools like continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps with dietary, psychological and peer support interventions they were empowering young people to lead lives with confidence.

As per a report in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice earlier this year, there are an estimated 9.5 million people living with T1D globally. In lower-income countries, prevalence cases increased by 20 per cent from 1.8 million in 2021 to 2.1 million in 2025. According to the Journal of Association of Physicians of India(2024), India ranked highest globally in the number of children living with T1D with cases rising at nearly 6.7 per cent annually.

Meanwhile, at Blue Circle Foundation, efforts have been made to collaborate with International Diabetes Federation (IDF) to build awareness and drive change in diabetes care and education at the school level. Since August 2025, Blue Circle has conducted nearly 50 urban and rural school sessions, reaching over 6,000 students and staff across multiple districts in Maharashtra, promoting understanding and inclusion for people with diabetes.