Newsletter: September Sparkle
September is our special anniversary month here at Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation. We turned 5 on the 5th of September & to celebrate our milestone 5th anniversary, 🥂caregivers & community members with all types of diabetes came together to share some love ❤️ Enjoy the video & thanks for all your support, dear readers 📣
Join our #BlueCircleWorkshops led by and for people living with diabetes, Sunday, 5PM IST - free and open to all!
The festive season is upon us! As we dive into the joys of Divali, marked by celebrations, sweets, and indulgences, the challenge of understanding and managing diabetes comes to the forefront. This workshop is designed to equip you with the tools you need to sail through the festivities with optimum health. Join Urvashi & Ketki as they offer valuable insights, share delectable low-carb recipes, and recount their personal journeys to strike a harmonious balance between festivity and health.
Tune in on Facebook Live, click here to RSVP!
Apply to be an app beta tester!
We have been working behind the scenes, making a big revamp to our Blue Circle Diabetes mobile app, which is an app made ‘by’ and ‘for’ people with all types of diabetes. Come join the cool club of diverse Blue Circle Beta Testers. Read more about the Blue Circle Diabetes app:
See if you fit the eligibility criteria and apply now!
Have questions? Email: support@bluecircle.foundation
We have several upcoming events in the next few weeks, join us! Stay tuned for upcoming virtual and physical events in your cities & don't miss the chance to meet other friends & families with diabetes! Any questions? Ask away on our Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India and head to the 'Events' section on the group to RSVP for events you want to share or attend!
Upcoming events, online & offline!
We share all important information and updates on our social media handles, so ensure you join our Facebook community , follow us on Instagram , Twitter , YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn. Here's a quick low down on all that happened in September 2024 at Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation.
We had 12 online and offline events in September 2024 - of which we had physical meets in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Raipur, Hyderabad and Jaipur- see the photos below!
Glimpses from our offline meets
Friends from our Mumbai Games Bond event (bowling)!
Mumbai catch-up pic
Watch the video-
Smiles from our Pune coffee catch-up!
Smiles from Pune 😄
Friends from our Delhi art workshop and coffee catch-up!
Delhi friends having fun!
See the video too-
Friends from our Hyderabad coffee catch-up!
Say hi to the diabetes tech girls from our Bengaluru Blue Circle Walk!
Friends from our Raipur chai pe charcha!
UN General Assembly, New York
In September, Nupur Lalvani represented our community at several events in New York on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly. Among these were events by BreakthroughT1D & others at the UN. For real change to happen, the voices of people with lived experience need to be front & centre ✊
Photos from the events-
Photos from various events around UNGA
EASD, Madrid
Nupur represented Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation at the EASD (European Association for the Study of Diabetes) conference in Madrid, Spain earlier in September. Stay tuned for a summary of her learnings on our Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India
Photos from Madrid
Patient Learning Training Program, Dubai
Rohan represented Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation this week in Dubai at the Patient Union for Learning and Support Engagement training programme by Boehringer Ingelheim. The programme aimed to enhance capability building, strategic visioning, and collaborative co-creation with patient organizations from India, Turkey, Middle East & Africa.
Photos from Dubai
In the News
We’re thrilled to be featured by Voice of Healthcare, a key think tank in healthcare policy advocacy! 🩺 Transforming Diabetes Care Across India 🩺 Our work alongside other leading organizations is highlighted for pioneering innovations in patient care, empowering millions to live healthier lives.
Read the full article here.
🎥This year NCD Alliance travelled to India to meet Nupur and Snehal, two women living with type 1 diabetes. Their stories vividly depict the daily realities of managing a chronic condition.
🎥Discover how the power of community and the will to take the #LeadOnNCDs at various levels can drive change. Filmed in India, Going Full Circle is a micro-documentary that will resonate with those advocating for health equity in many other places in the world.
🎥Coming to your screens during this Global Week for Action on NCDs (15-22 Oct). Here's a sneak peek!
In The Happy Moments पल-पल की ख़ुशियाँ podcast, Sanjay Rajpal from Ypsomed interviews our community member & artist at heart, Sanskruti Kolte who has been living with type 1 diabetes since 10 years 🎨 Listen to be podcast here 🎙️
Thank you to our community!
Thank you for your heartfelt donations towards 8 year old Vedant’s hospitalisation for DKA & complications at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Collectively the Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation community raised close to Rs 2 lacs towards his hospital fees 💌 He has been discharged from hospital earlier and is recovering well now ❤️🩹
Blue Circle 🔵 Diabetes Myth Busters ✋
Hug trees for the right reasons, says Nupur 😂💚 it is NOT going to cure your diabetes or stimulate your pancreas. What other myths would you like to see busted? 👊
#BlueCircleWorkshops (online)
Did you know that since the onset of COVID-19, every Sunday we've consistently hosted over 200 FREE, online diabetes workshops by and for people living with all types of diabetes as part of our commitment to accessible health education? Each workshop is led by experts who are passionate about making a meaningful difference. Check out our YouTube playlist to see some of these workshops.
Join in, have fun and learn new things. Sign up as a member and follow our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn to know of upcoming workshops. Be a part of our awesome Facebook community too!
RSVP & tune in on Facebook for the live workshops (if you miss a workshop, catch up later with recordings on YouTube or Facebook). Let's learn, grow, and navigate together.
Smartwatch Blood Sugar Tracking: Workshop
Join Rohan (T1D) & Anant (type 3c) as they discuss diabetes tech- how to see your blood sugars on your smartwatch.
Want to dive into more workshops on diabetes technology? See our diabetes tech playlist on YouTube. Also, see our blogs on diabetes tech.
#BlueCircleWorkshops are free, online workshops on diabetes by and for people living with various types of diabetes. Join us every Sunday at 5PM India time!
Click the post below to view the workshop video on Facebook (you can also view on YouTube here)
Meethi Baatein
Dive into the 40th episode of our series, Meethi Baatein, as we spotlight and celebrate the top contributors of our vibrant Facebook community. This time, join Nishtha, who lives with LADA as she chats with top contributor Rajiv, who has had type 1 diabetes since 1961. Their shared experiences, insights, and stories promise to resonate with many. See the recording here.
Vegetarian Low Carb: Workshop
Join Natasha (T1D) & Parul (caregiver to a T1 daughter) as they share tips on doing vegetarian low carb
Want to dive into more workshops on diabetes & low carb? See our low carb playlist on YouTube. Also, see our blogs on low carb.
#BlueCircleWorkshops are free, online workshops on diabetes by and for people living with various types of diabetes. Join us every Sunday at 5PM India time!
Click the post below to view the workshop video on Facebook (you can also view on YouTube here)
Carb Counting: FB Chat thread
We hosted a special discussion on the crucial topic of carb counting on our Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India. People shared their tips, tricks, challenges and more. Click this link to read the chat & participate.
#BlueCircleWorkshops are free, online workshops on diabetes by and for people living with various types of diabetes. Join us every Sunday at 5PM India time!
Decoding Food Labels: Workshop
Join T1s Neeraj & Madhur as they decode food labels and provide practical tips on understanding the nutritional information section of packaged foods.
Want to learn more about diabetes & exercise? See our #BlueCircleWorkshops exercise playlist on YouTube. Also, read our exercise related blogs.
#BlueCircleWorkshops are free, online workshops on diabetes by and for people living with various types of diabetes. Join us every Sunday at 5PM India time!
Click the post below to view the workshop video on Facebook (you can also view on YouTube here)
Buddy Project Helpline turned 4 in May 🎁🎂🎉
Happy Birthday to our Buddy Project Helpline and a big thank you to our buddies, past & present who have volunteered on the helpline 💙
The Buddy Project Helpline started during Covid19 and continues to be a diabetes & mental health support system, free of cost and open to anyone with any type of diabetes & their caregivers.
🆘Read more about the helpline here
🆘 Download on Android here
🆘 Download on iOS here
🆘Read about the Blue Circle Diabetes app here
Help us keep our community safe 🥹💪🏼
Join our mission to keep our Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation and Diabetes Support Network - India community safe! 🛡️ Nupur Lalvani and Snehal Nandagawli are here with a special message: Help us protect our safe space from spammers, sellers & troublemakers. Let’s work together to maintain a supportive, informative, and spam-free environment for everyone. Watch the video to find out how you can contribute to a safer community 🩵🤝
Success Stories
Found the community helpful, have a success story to share? E-mail us on support@bluecircle.foundation and we'll be happy to feature you! Click the post below to read Alka's success story-
Letter for Schools
Whether newly diagnosed or not, it's an anxious time for parents of kids with type 1 diabetes. Please feel free to click this post on our Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network India which will take you to a downloadable and editable letter for schools. Edit it with your child's specific details and share a signed copies with the child's school principal, teachers, etc.
You are welcome to email us on support@bluecircle.foundation if you face any issues with school admissions etc or you would like us to organise a diabetes awareness programme at your school or organisations.
See the post below for an important announcement regarding schools and universities. Click the post below, go to the comments section to read or download each circular issued by the NCPCR - National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
Buddy Project Helpline
The Buddy Project Helpline started during Covid19 and continues to be a diabetes & mental health support system & helpline, free of cost and open to anyone with any type of diabetes & their caregivers.
Read more about the helpline & to use the helpline, download the Blue Circle Diabetes mobile app on Android or iOS. Also read about the Blue Circle Diabetes app and all its features here.
The Buddy Project Helpline is our mobile app based psychosocial helpline for diabetes and mental health. 10 trained volunteers living with diabetes (type 1, type 2 & caregivers), speaking 9 different languages (English, Hindi, Dutch, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil and Punjabi) 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.
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)
Why should you attend our meet-ups?
Fair question! Check out this post to know why-
Diabetes Humour
Life with any type of diabetes is not easy. Here's a little diabetes humour to brighten up your day. Click the posts below & like, share & comment!
Looking for a partner? Marriage & Diabetes
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.
Blue Circle Store- Relaunched!
Check out the adorable diabetes merchandise from the Blue Circle Store and order them now!
#FlipTheCalendar August 2024
Sound on and time to #FlipTheCalendar! The #BlueCircleDiabetesCalendar is a fun calendar featuring people living with all types of diabetes. Featuring Nupur Lalvani an egg advocate 🍳 who has type 1 diabetes🥇
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Blue Circle Diabetes (@bluecirclediabetesfoundation)
Order calendars & adorable diabetes merchandise:
https://www.bluecircle.foundation/store
Blue Circle Blogs
Read our blog here. We write about everything from recipes to people's stories, technology and everything diabetes!
Donate
India's first app, made by diabetics & for diabetics. If you have found the app helpful & would like to help, consider making a small donation of Rs 99 per month: https://www.bluecircle.foundation/donate
Download the Blue Circle Diabetes app on Android and iOS. Click here to read about the app & its features.
Thank you to our wonderful community for helping us making the app better for you! We look forward to your generosity to help us rewrite the app ground up! Use the 'New Feature Idea' button on the app to tell us what features may make the app better.
#SugarDetective
Be a #SugarDetective! Come be part of our new campaign! Help spread awareness by sharing hidden sugars in packaged foods. Like Sherlock Holmes said, "you see, but you do not observe". Let's observe what's in our food and share!
Put up posts on your social media platforms and use the hashtag #SugarDetective & #BlueCircleDiabetesFoundation (also tag us!) You can also share the post on our Facebook community, Diabetes Support Network - India.
Connect with us and participate!
Join our award winning Facebook community, like and follow our page, subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn too! Use the Blue Circle Diabetes app to track your vitals and don't forget to check out our website and Buddy Project helpline too!