Our resource hub is home to a wealth of articles, stories and videos about managing and living with type 1 diabetes.
Place your order for our free information packs that support adults and children who have been recently diagnosed.
Our researchers are working on different ways to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes - from growing insulin-producing beta cells in labs to hacking the immune system.
Learn about the technologies that can deliver insulin automatically when needed. And discover the next generation of insulins that are currently being developed.
You could win a cash prize of up to £25,000 when you play the Breakthrough T1D lottery. As well as the chance to win great prizes, you’ll also help fund our research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Invite your friends, family, colleagues or clients to an exceptional black-tie event in the heart of London. Every ticket, every bid, every moment helps us move closer to a cure.
Our ambitious new roadmap is aimed at driving significant advancements in type 1 diabetes research, treatment, and care.
Join the type 1 diabetes community and come together, raising awareness and vital funds for T1D.
We provide a wealth of information and free resources to help you support and empower your patients or students.
Take our free course for schools to learn more about supporting pupils with type 1 diabetes in educational settings.
JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D. Our name has changed, our mission has not.
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.
We focus on investing in research that will transform the lives of people with type 1 diabetes – improving treatments today until we find a cure.
Find out how we make sure research becomes reality for people with T1D
Join us and thousands of others to raise money for type 1 research – and have lots of fun doing it!
We’re aware of growing concern around insulin supply in the UK, and we want to reassure our community that this is not a general insulin shortage. There is no need to change the type of insulin you use.
If you use the Dexcom G6 app on your Android smartphone, the newest Android 16 operating system may disrupt how the app functions.
We're calling for urgent reform as new report reveals older people with T1D are systematically failed by health and social care services.
Breakthrough T1D has helped organise an event hosted by Tomislav Sokol titled ‘Accelerating Breakthroughs to Address Unmet Needs in Type 1 Diabetes.’
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.
