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Home > News & events > News > Breakthrough T1D and Barbie unveil the first Barbie with type 1 diabetes
Karen Addington MBE, CEO of Breakthrough T1D UK, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Barbie now includes a doll with type 1 diabetes. As a beloved icon for children everywhere, it’s wonderful to see Barbie proudly reflecting T1D and the technology that comes with it. For children with T1D who don’t often see themselves represented, this doll will be a powerful role model, celebrating their strength and bringing recognition, inclusion, and joy to their play.”
Barbie worked closely with Breakthrough T1D to accurately reflect the medical equipment people with this T1D might use and the Barbie’s look, all the way down to her dress pattern:
Barbie also honoured global role model and T1D advocate, supermodel Lila Moss, with her own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll.
The Barbie Fashionistas line features more than 175 looks across various skin tones, eye colours, hair colours and textures, body types, disabilities and fashion styles, including a Blind Barbie doll, a Barbie doll with Down Syndrome, and a Barbie doll with Hearing Aids, among others.
In 2020, Barbie kicked off a multi-year study with researchers at Cardiff University on the short-term and long-term benefits of doll play. It has been found that doll play serves an incredible purpose during key developmental stages, as it may help set children on a course for success by fostering empathy and developing social skills needed to excel, all while imagining their futures on an equal playing field.
“Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls. “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.”
The 2025 Barbie Fashionistas dolls, including the Barbie doll with T1D, are now available on Mattel Shop and at retailers nationwide.
If you’re a journalist looking to cover this story, please get in touch with pressoffice@breakthrought1d.org.uk.
Find out why having a Barbie with T1D matters to children all over the world.
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Immunotherapy, beta cell replacement, smart insulins – we’re driving research in the most promising areas to find cures and better treatments for type 1 diabetes.