I wish people would understand that Type 1 diabetes is not something you “get” because of unhealthy living, but because of an autoimmune condition. And though well-intentioned, sometimes people can give their input that is based on misinformation or their own misconceptions, like “Drink this herbal tea and the condition will go away.”

I think what would help us the best if approached on this topic, instead of people giving their own two cents about what is helpful and what is not (though I’m grateful for the advice), they can be more open-minded in listening first and willing to fill some gaps in their knowledge about T1D. And not to be afraid to ask us more about living with T1D!

I hope the government would make all these diabetes tools like needles, insulin, and pumps cheaper. These tools are life-saving for us, and we need them everyday, yet the cost overtime adds up to a scary amount. Plus, the number of people with diabetes in Singapore has been rising, so I believe that to be forward-looking, we need more active top-down interventions in order to support this population. We may have some subsidies for older products, but with so many new technology and developments on the market (like closed loop pumps and even something as simple as sharper but more painless needles), it would be nice to see more effort placed in getting these technology to Singapore and providing subsidies or schemes for it. Thank you.