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Living with type 1 diabetes mellitus with Black heritage: my personal journey

For nearly three decades, my life has consisted of insulin injections, monitoring of glucose levels and emotional, mental and physical labour. Here, I share my experience of being a Black person living with type 1 diabetes mellitus, including cultural and systemic challenges that affected my access to the care I was entitled to.

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References

  1. Diabetes Africa. Advancing equity in diabetes technology. Diabetes Africa https://diabetesafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DA-Access-to-Diabetes-Tech-Toolkit-2024-20.11.2024-digital.pdf (2024).

  2. Mangelis, A. et al. People with type 1 diabetes of African Caribbean ethnicity are at increased risk of developing sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes Care 46, 1091–1097 (2023).

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  3. Mangelis, A. et al. African Caribbean ethnicity is an independent predictor of significant decline in kidney function in people with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 45, 2095–2102 (2022).

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Correspondence to Daniel Newman.

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Newman, D. Living with type 1 diabetes mellitus with Black heritage: my personal journey. Nat Rev Endocrinol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-026-01242-z

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