Diabuddies

Where to Find a Diabuddy

By Laurie Harper
Living with Type 1 Diabetes can feel isolating at times, but building connections with others who share the experience can offer enormous emotional and practical support. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or celebrating your 70th year with T1D, finding a “diabuddy” can enrich your life. Here are ways to find and nurture those friendships:

Start with Shared Experiences

Attend diabetes-related events, conferences, or camps such as Barton Center for Diabetes Education in North Oxford, MA. I attended Barton Camp as a child, and it was a life-changing experience. It taught me how to be more independent in managing my diabetes, surrounded by others who truly understood what living with T1D meant. Their annual fundraising events are fun and beneficial to this not-for-profit. Visit www.bartoncenter.org to learn more.

The Barton Center also has an Alumni organization that hosts an annual get-together. If you’re not in the Northeast, look into whether a diabetes camp near you offers similar events for adults or alumni.

Participate in programs like the Joslin 50-Year Medalist Study, which honors individuals who have lived with insulin-dependent Type 1 Diabetes for 50 years or more and contributes valuable insights to research on long-term diabetes management, or other studies supported by organizations such as Joslin. To learn more about the program or to apply, visit https://joslin.org/research/medalist-program-study. There are studies created for all ages and. Stages of Type 1 Diabetes.

Get Social—Online and Offline

• Contact your local Breakthrough T1D office or visit their website at https://www.breakthrought1d.org. Some chapters coordinate Zoom calls for adults with T1D. If there isn’t one that fits your needs, ask if there’s a group in another region you can join—I’ve personally participated in one based in California while living in the Northeast.
• Explore the incredible resources from Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) at: https://tcoyd.org.  They offer in-person and virtual conferences, educational content, and community-building opportunities that are both empowering and fun.
• Join Facebook groups and Instagram communities dedicated to Type 1 Diabetes. Many friendships begin in the comments.I joined the “Type 1 Diabetics for 50years+” Facebook Group, which is a private group. This group is very helpful and active for older people who have lived with T1 Diabetes for 50 or more years. Some members have lived for 80 and 85 plus years. We have done visits to the Banting Museum to see where insulin was discovered and have created other meetups, including a cruise to Bermuda. Regional lunch meetups have also been created all over the world, with most members coming from Canada and the USA. It doesn’t matter where we live—we are connected through our T1D. We’ve even created some YouTube videos about our lives managing T1D. The YouTube channel is the same name as the group—. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@Type1Diabeticsfor50yearsGroup

The channel shares our life experiences and how we’ve dealt with the challenges of managing T1D.

Check out additional resources:

• Joanne Milo’s blog The Savvy Diabetic.
• Amber Clour’s Diabetes Daily Grind for practical tips, humor, and a sense of belonging.
• Diatribe for interesting content and emails that help with research.
• Engage with podcasts or webinars, like Stacey Simms’ Diabetes Connections, which feature real stories and often highlight community gatherings.

Advocate Together

Connect with advocacy organizations like the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC). They do great work and host regular lunchtime Zoom meetings that cover issues from mental health to Medicare policy changes. DPAC also advocates for critical improvements in Medicare and Medicaid coverage for people with diabetes. Find someone passionate about the same causes and partner up.

Go Local

• Ask your endocrinologist or diabetes educator if there are any local meetups or support groups.
• Some community centers and libraries host monthly chronic illness support circles—ask around!
• Can’t find a group that fits? Start your own. Whether it’s a walking group, a virtual hangout, or a breakfast club for people with T1D, others are likely looking for connections, too.
• Wearing a T-shirt that highlights your experience with diabetes (e.g., “T1D Warrior” or “180+ Decisions a Day”) may invite conversation and help you connect with other people living with diabetes in unexpected places.

IMAGE HERE!

Barton Camp around 1968 I’m on the left in white 

Personal Stories: Finding My Diabuddies

One of my earliest examples of finding a diabuddy began with my mother. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1955, I was just a child, and my mother took it upon herself to educate herself, advocate, and then educate our small-town community—friends, neighbors, and even my teachers—on what to do if I had a low blood sugar episode. Her compassion and advocacy laid the foundation not just for my safety, but also for connection.

Years later, I became friends with two young boys who were diagnosed about 10 or 12 years after me. My mother once again stepped in to help their families understand how to manage life with T1D. Her generosity created not just support networks, but lasting friendships.

Another special connection began with a classmate on our Senior Class trip. I traveled to Europe with about 40 graduating students in 1971, visiting Luxembourg, Paris, and Sweden. A longtime friend joined that trip, and we remain friends to this day. Her mother, a nurse, often helped when I stayed overnight at their house, making sure I was safe and supported. My friend later went into the medical field herself. Years later, she was misdiagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes at age 27. But because of our friendship and her awareness of my journey, she understood the differences between Type 1 and Type 2. She kept pushing for answers until doctors finally recognized that she had T1D, too. Today, that diagnosis can often be made more quickly, but at the time, it took persistence and a strong voice—something she had, in part, because of our friendship.

Final Thoughts

Finding a diabuddy is much easier now with so many resources available—support groups, podcasts, social media, and in-person events. Give it a try. I’m surrounded by diabuddies now, and their support brings encouragement, laughter, and strength to every step of this journey.

Support from family continues to be a vital part of my life. I feel incredibly fortunate that my husband, three children, and grandchildren all understand my Type 1 Diabetes and support me in countless ways.

That said, they are busy with their own lives, and this is my disease to manage.

That’s why having diabuddies makes it even better. Their shared experience fills in the emotional and practical gaps that family, however loving, may not always be able to cover. Their awareness and involvement add another layer of comfort, confidence, and connection to my everyday management.

Last updated 08/20/2025.