Latest news with #Children'sCongress
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
How did an Edmonton girl, 12, come to represent Canada at a Washington, D.C., diabetes event?
Edmontonian Emily Gervais, 12, recently returned from Washington, D.C., where she represented Canada at the 2025 Breakthrough T1D Children's Congress — a global advocacy event that brings together around 170 youth living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Article content Delegates aged 4 to 17 from across the United States and international affiliates including Australia, the U.K., and the Netherlands gathered for training and storytelling July 7 to July 9. Article content Article content Article content Emily, who was diagnosed with T1D when she was eight years old, met with leaders at the Canadian Embassy and joined other youth in sharing what daily life with this chronic autoimmune disease is really like. Article content Article content Postmedia sat down with Emily and her mother, Nicole Gervais, to talk about the experience, the challenges of managing diabetes, and what they hope others took away from her journey. Article content Q&A with Emily Gervais Article content Q: What was it like being in Washington, D.C., and representing Canada at the Children's Congress? A: 'It was a big honour for me, because I was the only representative from Canada there. It was really cool. It just made me really happy.' Article content Q: How did it feel to meet other kids who also live with T1D? A: 'It really made me feel almost normal, because there were other kids who were going through the same thing as me and that I'm not different, just the same as everyone else in the room.' Article content Article content Q: What did you talk about during your visit to the Canadian Embassy? A: 'I got to talk about renewing the Special Diabetes Program to Congress and what our lives were like, what we had to go through with our medical condition.' Article content Article content Q: Has the trip changed how you think about living with diabetes or sharing your story? A: 'It definitely gave me more hope for a cure, because there's lots of people talking about recent research and cell therapy and different things that are pushing towards the cure.' Article content Q: How does Type 1 diabetes affect your daily routine, at home and at school? A: 'Sometimes in the middle of the night, my blood sugar drops, and my parents have to wake up to check on me. They don't always get much sleep because they're worried about my levels. In the morning, I love cereal, but I usually avoid it because it makes my blood sugar spike out of range.
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
How did an Edmonton girl, 12, come to represent Canada at a Washington, D.C., diabetes event?
Edmontonian Emily Gervais, 12, recently returned from Washington, D.C., where she represented Canada at the 2025 Breakthrough T1D Children's Congress — a global advocacy event that brings together around 170 youth living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Article content Delegates, aged 4 to 17, from across the United States and international affiliates including Australia, the U.K., and the Netherlands gathered for training and storytelling July 7 to July 9. Article content Article content Article content Emily, who was diagnosed with T1D at age 8, met with leaders at the Canadian Embassy and joined other youth in sharing what daily life with this chronic autoimmune disease is really like. Article content Article content Postmedia sat down with Emily and her mother, Nicole Gervais, to talk about the experience, the challenges of managing diabetes, and what they hope others took away from her journey. Article content Q&A with Emily Gervais Article content Q: What was it like being in Washington, D.C., and representing Canada at the Children's Congress? A: 'It was a big honour for me, because I was the only representative from Canada there. It was really cool. It just made me really happy.' Article content Q: How did it feel to meet other kids who also live with T1D? A: 'It really made me feel almost normal, because there were other kids who were going through the same thing as me and that I'm not different, just the same as everyone else in the room.' Article content Article content Q: What did you talk about during your visit to the Canadian Embassy? A: 'I got to talk about renewing the Special Diabetes Program to Congress and what our lives were like, what we had to go through with our medical condition.' Article content Article content Q: Has the trip changed how you think about living with diabetes or sharing your story? A: 'It definitely gave me more hope for a cure, because there's lots of people talking about recent research and cell therapy and different things that are pushing towards the cure.' Article content Q: How does type 1 diabetes affect your daily routine, at home and at school? A: 'Sometimes in the middle of the night, my blood sugar drops, and my parents have to wake up to check on me. They don't always get much sleep because they're worried about my levels. In the morning, I love cereal, but I usually avoid it because it makes my blood sugar spike out of range.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Explainer: Barbie's new diabetes doll comes with an insulin pump & glucose monitor — but is it just a gimmick or real change?
Mattel has expanded its iconic Barbie line by introducing a new doll that has Type-1 diabetes. Developed in partnership with diabetes research organisation Breakthrough T1D, the doll was launched during the Children's Congress in Washington. The initiative aims to improve representation and create relatable experiences for children living with chronic conditions. According to Mattel, the new release is part of their ongoing commitment to reflect diverse health realities and bring inclusive storytelling into playrooms. A design reflecting real-life diabetes management The new Barbie is part of the 2025 Barbie Fashionistas collection. She wears a blue polka-dot crop top with a ruffled mini skirt and chunky heels. Beyond fashion, the doll includes realistic diabetes care accessories—a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm and an insulin pump at her waist. The bag she carries is designed to hold emergency snacks, reflecting the everyday needs of children with the condition. The choice of blue polka dots also ties into global diabetes awareness efforts. Advocates and launch partners To extend the impact of the release, Mattel partnered with diabetes advocates Lila Moss and Robin Arzon, who will serve as official ambassadors for the doll. Their involvement is aimed at spreading awareness and encouraging broader conversations around health representation in toys. Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls at Mattel, stated: 'Barbie helps shape children's early perceptions of the world. We ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.' Highlighting a chronic condition that affects millions Type-1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the pancreas's ability to produce insulin. This hormone is essential for converting food into energy. Without sufficient insulin, people with the condition must rely on external sources such as injections or insulin pumps to regulate blood sugar. The disease can be diagnosed at any age, but often presents in childhood or adolescence. By reflecting this condition in a mainstream toy, Mattel hopes to foster empathy, understanding, and confidence among young users via bringing this new doll in the market. Mattel's new Barbie offers a meaningful step in making chronic conditions visible and relatable for the next generation. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
Mint
09-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Barbie launches its first doll with Type 1 diabetes to represent inclusivity: Check its special features
Barbie has launched its first doll with Type 1 diabetes to promote inclusivity. Part of the Fashionistas line, the doll features a small glucose monitor on her arm to track blood sugar, held by heart-shaped medical tape. She also has a phone showing the tracking app and an insulin pump on her waist for automatic insulin. The doll wears a blue polka dot outfit and carries a pastel blue purse for essentials like snacks or medical supplies. This new Barbie helps raise awareness and represents children living with Type 1 diabetes. It represents that managing health can be a part of everyday life. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, children with Type 1 diabetes should be treated just like other normal children. At the same time, they should wear a medical alert bracelet for constant monitoring. Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, is a long-term condition. Children with such conditions need daily insulin shots to stay healthy. The doll was made in partnership with Breakthrough T1D, a diabetes research group. Barbie will also donate these dolls to the 2025 Children's Congress, where kids with diabetes meet US lawmakers. Barbie's team worked closely with the group to ensure the doll looked realistic. The team also ensured that the doll included medical tools used by people with Type 1 diabetes. Krista Berger from Mattel said this step would help children see their own lives and challenges reflected in the toys they play with. It aims to spread awareness and support among young kids. 'Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation," Berger said in a release. "Barbie helps shape children's early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love,' she added. Exactly a year ago in July 2024, Mattel launched its first Barbie doll for visually-impaired children to promote inclusion. The doll comes with a white and red cane, sunglasses and eyes that look slightly upwards and outwards. Mattel worked with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to make sure the doll is accurate and accessible. The blind Barbie has clothes made from touch-friendly fabrics, like a smooth blouse and a ruffled skirt. The doll's box also has braille writing.
