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.
Your donations help support people living with type 1 diabetes today and fund the best treatment and cure research, no matter where in the world it takes place.
The announcement is the biggest treatment breakthrough for type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin.
Join the type 1 diabetes community and come together, raise awareness and vital funds for T1D. Every step taken and pound raised directly supports us to fund our life-changing research.
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 > Knowledge & support > Resource hub > Margaret’s story
Fleur had always been such a healthy child, so I couldn’t believe it when her mother, Ruth, told me she had type 1 diabetes. I was on holiday at the time and rushed straight to the hospital when I got back.
My thoughts seemed to change every minute and I would say to myself, “At least it’s not a tumour”. I thought I knew about type 1 but I soon realised I didn’t. As we all learned about it I felt more in control – but also more scared.
I worry about Fleur’s future and how she will cope in secondary school, with exams and travel. I’ve also been very worried about my daughter and son-in-law. They are doing a wonderful job with Fleur and dealing with her condition hourly. But who is helping them? I live 60 miles away and I wouldn’t know what to do when Fleur’s blood glucose goes high or low.
Ruth has always been a very positive person, but I have seen her become less so, worrying about all the possible complications Fleur could face.
My life has also changed as I feel neither confident nor competent enough to look after Fleur without Ruth or Steve there. They used to come and stay with me in the holidays and we would go to the cinema, circus and restaurants. Last summer we were digging up potatoes and picking tomatoes together in my garden. Now when I go past a favourite restaurant I hope that I will be able to take Fleur there again on my own, someday.
The amount of type 1 research that is happening is very reassuring. I have a neighbour with the condition who tells me there has been a sea-change in treatments for type 1 over the past 30 years and that everything is improving. Complications don’t need to happen if type 1 is managed properly. And I have been reading about islet transplantation, stem cell research and artificial pancreas trials and it is very encouraging. It feels like this is a very promising time in research.
Children should never have to struggle with type 1 – it’s so important to find a cure and better treatments. Now that I understand what Breakthrough T1D UK does, I have no qualms about supporting them and I feel they have become part of our lives. I believe so much in Breakthrough T1D UK’s research, I want to leave a gift in my Will to help.
Leaving a gift in your Will to Breakthrough T1D UK, no matter how much you choose to leave, means you will continue to make life better for everyone with type 1, after you are gone.
Getting connected is a great way to learn about type 1 and get support from people who understand what you’re going through.
Read type 1 diabetes news, including the latest progress in type 1 research, new treatments and technologies and all our funding updates.
Breakthrough T1D UK Type 1 Diabetes Discovery Events are free events and a great opportunity to meet others with type 1, find out about the latest research progress, and hear inspirational talks from a range of speakers.
Eden Valk was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while she was still in school, navigating classes, friendships and everyday life. Here, she shares five of the most important lessons she’s learned along the way.
Manisha Vadgama shares what she has learned on her own pregnancy journey so far, from getting the tech right to making sure she has the right people around her.
Researcher, Dr Paidamoyo Katsande, shares why she's so passionate about curing type 1 diabetes and how Breakthrough T1D supporters are bringing us closer to a cure.
12-year-old Aadil was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before his eleventh birthday. Aadil and his dad Sheraz, a cardiologist, told us about their experience, from the differences in their reactions to how they support each other now.
