Latest news with #Mazreku
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Empowering representation: Barbie's groundbreaking doll with type 1 diabetes
Mattel has introduced its first Barbie with type 1 diabetes, complete with an insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and a purse packed with medical supplies and snacks. Image: Barbie Instagram If you grew up brushing Barbie's hair and dreaming of her life in a Dreamhouse, you're not alone. Barbie has always been more than just a doll. For decades, she's been a reflection of culture, beauty standards and aspirations. But in recent years, Barbie has stepped into a new role - one that's as inspiring as it is impactful. For many of us, Barbie was more than just a toy - she was a world of imagination, possibility, and (let's be honest), a reflection of what we thought 'perfect' looked like. But perfection looks a lot different now and that's a very good thing. In a groundbreaking move that's making both waves and headlines, Mattel has introduced its first Barbie with type 1 diabetes, complete with an insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and a purse packed with medical supplies and snacks. These features aren't just accessories; they're tools to educate, normalise and empower. By including these medical devices, Mattel is helping to reduce the stigma often associated with type 1 diabetes and encouraging conversations about the condition. Representation According to reports, the groundbreaking doll was created through a collaboration between Mattel and Breakthrough T1D, formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Emily Mazreku, the organisation's director of marketing and communications, played a pivotal role in the design process. Mazreku, who lives with type 1 diabetes, ensured the doll was both medically accurate and emotionally resonant. 'Mattel approached us, and they wanted this to be a part of their Fashionista line,' Mazreku said. 'We jumped on that opportunity right away.' Emily Mazreku, the organisation's director of marketing and communications, who lives with type 1 diabetes, ensured the doll was both medically accurate and emotionally resonant. Image: Barbie/Instagram Mazreku spent nearly two years conducting focus groups to ensure the doll truly represented the type 1 diabetes community. Even the blood glucose readings on Barbie's phone 130 mg/dl, a normal range were drawn from Mazreku's actual data during the design process. What is Type 1 Diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is essential for converting food into energy. Without it, people with type 1 diabetes must rely on insulin injections or pumps to survive. Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with lifestyle factors, type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, though it's most commonly diagnosed in childhood. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), managing the condition involves balancing blood sugar levels through insulin therapy, diet and physical activity - something this new Barbie subtly highlights through her accessories. People living with it rely on insulin every day to survive. It's often misunderstood, and until now, rarely acknowledged in popular toys. So when Barbie showed up in her signature fashion-forward outfit blue polka dot crop top, matching purse and glucose-tracking tech, she wasn't just making a style statement. She was normalising a health condition that many kids quietly deal with every single day. 'We know that increasing the number of people who can see themselves in Barbie continues to resonate,' said Devin Duff, a spokesperson for Mattel, in an email to CNN. This isn't the first time Barbie has stepped beyond the stereotype. Over the years, Barbie's Fashionista line has grown to include over 175 diverse dolls, featuring a wide range of skin tones, hair textures, body types and abilities. Some standout additions include: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Image: Barbie Instagram A Barbie with vitiligo, a condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigment. A doll with a prosthetic leg, promoting visibility for children with limb differences. A Barbie with behind-the-ear hearing aids. A blind Barbie with a white cane. And one of the most popular in 2024 is a Barbie with Down syndrome, developed in collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society. This growing list sends a clear message: beauty isn't one-size-fits-all and every child deserves to feel seen. It may seem small - a doll, a detail, a design - but representation in toys can have a powerful psychological impact, especially in children. Studies from the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology have shown that when children see their identity reflected in media and toys, it boosts self-esteem, reduces stigma and can improve emotional development. Toys are often children's first introduction to societal norms. When they see themselves represented, especially in a positive and empowered way, it has a lasting effect. It's also about education. A Barbie with diabetes doesn't just reflect kids with the condition, it helps others learn about it. Not flawless, not fantasy, but reflective. Reflective of the girl managing her insulin levels at school. Reflective of the boy learning what vitiligo is because his friend has it. Reflective of the child who never felt included in their toy box until now. And yes, even reflective of the "weird Barbie" that America Ferrera's character in Barbie (2023) lovingly interacts with the one who's been played with, worn down and drawn on, but remains uniquely her own.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Barbie rolls out doll with type 1 diabetes; here's everything you need to know
The latest addition to Mattel's Fashionista line is a stylish Barbie dressed in a chic blue polka-dot crop top, a ruffled mini skirt, and chunky heels. But what sets her apart is the insulin pump on her waist and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, making her the brand's first-ever doll representing type 1 diabetes. Created in collaboration with Breakthrough T1D, formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, this Barbie is designed to reflect the experiences of more than 304,000 children and teens in the United States who live with type 1 diabetes, Barbie's official Instagram handle stated. Unveiled on Tuesday at the Breakthrough T1D Children's Congress in Washington, DC, the doll made her debut during the three-day event. This new Barbie features realistic tools used by people with the disease, such as a CGM on her arm secured with heart-shaped Barbie-pink tape, a phone application showing her real glucose levels, and a matching light-blue purse consisting of supplies and snacks for blood sugar regulation. The doll's CGM also features a daily blood sugar graph, highlighting the highs and lows many diabetics experience. A post shared by Barbie (@barbie) Emily Mazreku, director of marketing and communications at Breakthrough T1D, has type 1 diabetes herself and played an intrinsic role in the doll's development. 'Mattel approached us, and they wanted this to be a part of their Fashionista line. And we jumped on that opportunity right away,' CNN quoted Mazreku. She spent nearly two years leading focus groups and gathering input to ensure the doll authentically reflected the community's needs. The glucose readings on Barbie's phone are from a real day in Mazreku's life during the design process, CNN reported. The Fashionista line now includes over 175 diverse dolls, representing a wide range of skin tones, body types, and disabilities. Among them are dolls with vitiligo, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, and a white cane for blindness. In 2024, the Barbie with Down syndrome and the blind Barbie were among the top sellers globally.
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Albanian criminal allowed to stay in UK because video calls would be ‘harsh' on stepson
An Albanian criminal has avoided deportation after a judge ruled that long-distance Zoom calls would be 'too harsh' on his stepson. Dritan Mazreku, 29, took on a 'paternal role' for his 15-year-old stepson when he entered a relationship with the boy's mother a decade ago, an immigration tribunal was told. After the Albanian national was jailed, he faced deportation but a judge ruled that he could remain in the UK because it would be 'unduly harsh' on his stepson if he were to be removed from the UK. The immigration judge said that 'modern means' of communication were 'no substitute' for physical presence and regular visits to Albania would be 'unmanageable' for the family. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, argued against the decision and said that the 'fit and healthy young man' could continue to support his stepson from Albania. However, this has now been dismissed by an immigration judge who upheld the decision to allow Mazreku to stay in the UK. The case, disclosed in court papers, is the latest example exposed by The Telegraph where migrants or convicted foreign criminals have won the right to remain in the UK or halt their deportations, often by citing breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). They include an Albanian criminal who avoided deportation after claiming that his son had an aversion to foreign chicken nuggets, and a Pakistani paedophile who was jailed for child sex offences but escaped removal from the UK as it would be 'unduly harsh' on his own children. There are a record 41,987 outstanding immigration appeals, largely on human rights grounds, which threaten to hamper Labour's efforts to fast-track removal of illegal migrants. The backlog has risen by nearly a quarter since September and is up nearly 500 per cent from just 7,173 at the start of 2022. The Government is considering whether to restrict illegal migrants from exploiting the ECHR's Article 8 right to a family to block their deportations. Ministers are also said to be considering plans to change the law to introduce a mandatory 24-week legal deadline for all asylum appeals to be heard, reducing the timeframe by half. The right to a family life was central to the case of Mazreku, who came to the UK in 2014 and the following year began a relationship with a Latvian national who had a son from an ex-partner. 'Paternal role' Mazreku took on the 'paternal role' for the child, who was five at the time and had 'no relationship' with his biological father. He married his partner in 2017, giving him the right to remain in Britain. However, he was jailed for an unspecified crime and faced deportation. He appealed the decision and a judge at the First Tier Immigration Tribunal found that this would be 'unduly harsh' on his stepson, who is now a teenager and 'remembers no other father'. The judge ruled: 'There can be little doubt that regular visits to Albania would be unmanageable. 'Communication by 'modern means' is no substitute for physical presence.' The Home Secretary appealed the lower tribunal decision, arguing that the judge 'erred in law', adding: 'Limited weight can be given to [Mazreku] keeping his stepson safe bearing in mind his conviction.' It was argued that Mazreku did not provide support during his incarceration or during a period of separation with the teenager's mother. 'Well-reasoned' decision Lawyers representing Mazreku argued that the decision made by the judge was 'well-reasoned'. The court was told: 'The Judge makes it clear that the most important factor is that this is a child who has experienced abandonment before, and this is what makes the effect on him unduly harsh. 'The Judge notes that the family is relatively poor and being able to travel to Albania regularly is a remote possibility. 'He notes that throughout his incarceration and his separation from the child's mother [Mazreku] kept in contact.'
