Register now for our online 'Buddy Meet' by Snehal & Rohan on Sunday 16th May at 5PM IST on the Blue Circle Workshops platform.‌ We complete one year of running the Buddy Project Helpline, a diabetes and mental health related app-based helpline run by trained, multilingual volunteers living with different types of diabetes.

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Here's a quick low down on all that happened in April 2021 at Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation.

Blue Circle Workshops & Events

Blue Circle Workshops are online weekend workshops that are free and open for all, even non diabetics! Join in, have fun and learn new things. Sign up as a member and stay tuned to our social media to know of upcoming workshops.‌

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Menstruation & Diabetes Workshop

As part of Project Gaia, our initiative to empower women with diabetes, Mouparna and Nupur spoke about menstruation and the effects it has on blood sugar management. Click the post below to read the highlights & how to work around it.‌

Injection Techniques Workshop

Rohan and Snehal spoke about the correct way to inject insulin and what happens if you don't inject properly. Click the post below and read the key points from the workshop.

Marriage & Diabetes Workshop

Mouparna and Nupur discussed the challenges as well as the coping mechanisms that can be used for dealing with getting married while living with diabetes in the Indian social and cultural scenario. Click the post below and read the key points. If you'd like to find a partner, introduce yourself on our private Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India.

We understand that a lot of people with diabetes face tremendous difficulties in finding the right partner and getting married. We have received a lot of requests over the years to facilitate a platform to this end. Here's our small effort in that direction. If you'd like to find a partner, or are a parent who would like to introduce their child looking to get married, please introduce yourself on our private Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India.

Intermittent Fasting Workshop

Everything you wanted to know about intermittent fasting in this workshop by Snehal and Nupur. Click the post below and read the key points to know more.

Meethi Baatein

Excited to launch our new series called Meethi Baatein to celebrate top contributors of our community on Facebook. Snehal was in conversation with Ayaz, see the video here.

Global Diabetes Summit

Nupur co-hosted the segment on 'Operationalising Meaningful Engagement of People Living with Diabetes' at the high level Global Diabetes Summit organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) & the Government of Canada. The Global Diabetes Compact was launched at the summit on the centenary of the discovery of insulin.

The Global Diabetes Compact is a much needed intervention to prevent diabetes and bring treatment to all those who need it. This aim rests on commitment and coordination between heads of State & Ministers of several countries, civil society organisations & people living with diabetes.

What is most unique about the compact is its consideration of the lived experiences of people living with diabetes. Tune in to hear more:

In the News

The Punekar News covered the Buddy Project Helpline in their newspaper. Click the post below to read the full article.

The Blue Circle Diabetes app was featured in the 10th Anniversary issue of the Diabetes Health magazine. Click the post to see snapshots from the magazine.

Diabetes Awareness and Myth Busting video

We spoke a whole lot about relationships and marriage this month, so Basanti ki Shaadi feels like a fitting and fun tribute to this topic. Enjoy!

DiaBol - Diabetes Dialogues

In Ep: 7 of our interview series, DiaBol - Diabetes Dialogues, Snehal & Nupur are in conversation with Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, who is a medical doctor, epidemiologist, vaccinologist, public health, and policy expert and writer. He is also the National Professional Officer at the World Health Organization, India. Dr Lahariya talks about the pandemic, lockdowns, safety measures especially for people with co-morbidities and dispels misinformation about vaccines. Please take the vaccine when eligible. If you want to know the vaccine experiences of others living with diabetes, ask or search on our Facebook community. Feel free to share this interview with maximum people so that it benefits everyone. Like, share & subscribe!

#JusticeForNehal

Nehal Rathwa, 22, physiotherapy intern was one of us. She lived with type 1 diabetes. She was FORCED for Covid19 duty at Gotri hospital, Vadodara despite requesting exemption. She lost her life to Covid- who's responsible? We demand justice for Nehal - please click the post below and retweet!

Prioritise vaccination for people with diabetes

Studies show that people living with all types of diabetes are at a risk for much worse outcomes if they contract Covid. The vaccination drive was opened for everyone over 18 recently, however the country also has a tremendous vaccine shortage. We want people with diabetes to be prioritised in receiving the vaccine - please retweet, share, comment by clicking the post below!

Tutorials

Here's a bite sized tutorial by Snehal on how to remove air bubbles from an insulin pen. Tell us if you do it the same way!

Blue Circle Store

Check out the adorable, diabetes inspired stickers and magnets from the Blue Circle Store and order them now!

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Buddy Project Helpline

The Buddy Project is our mobile app based psychosocial helpline for diabetes and mental health. 12 trained volunteers (type 1, type 2 & caregivers), speaking 9 languages are here to listen to you without judgements. If you feel lost, depressed, anxious, panicky, suicidal or generally upset, please schedule a call with us. These are tough times but remember you are NOT alone, your community stands with you.

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How to call the Buddy Project helpline‌

‌Open the Blue Circle Diabetes app > Buddy Project > Schedule tab > pick a buddy of your choice > Schedule a call (once you schedule you'll see it under the 'Meetings' tab > 10 minutes prior to the call, you'll receive an app notification/reminder > To join the call, open the app, go to Buddy Project & under the 'Meetings' tab, press the 'Join' button (video is off by default, can switch on as per preference)

Blogs

Read our blog here. We write about everything from recipes to people's stories, technology and everything diabetes!‌

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April campaign : #ForMyDiabetes

To participate in our social media campaigns, share your video or photo (with some supporting text) on the topic with us. Upload through the Blue Circle Diabetes mobile app and we'll feature you! Our May campaign is #ThankYouBuddy - where you can give a shout out to your supportive friends and family or show some love for the Buddy Project Helpline by telling us how it helped you!

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Connect with us and participate!

Join our Facebook support group, like and follow our page, subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter too! If you would like to share and contribute content upload it to the Blue Circle app and don't forget to check out our website and free helpline too!

SUPPORT BLUE CIRCLE DIABETES FOUNDATION

We need your help and support to continue to grow, expand and touch the lives of countless people in the diabetes community. Every little bit helps us in sustaining this endeavour.

Click here to donate