In this episode, Jacqui chats with Chris Roome, who has spent much of his life proving that type 1 diabetes doesn’t have to define what’s possible.

Diagnosed at 12, Chris quickly adopted the mindset of being child first, diabetic second. Since then, he’s taken on endurance races, extreme outdoor adventures and even dog sledding in the Arctic, all while managing the constant decisions that come with type 1 diabetes.

Chris also shares the inspiration behind Project InsulNation, a community designed to bring people with type 1 together through outdoor adventure and shared experience.

This episode is a reminder that with preparation, resilience and the right support, life with type 1 diabetes can still be bold, adventurous and full of possibility.

Connect further with our guest:
Instagram:  @project_insulnation [https://www.instagram.com/project_insulnation/]
Facebook: Chris Roome [https://www.facebook.com/chris.roome.2025]
Website: www.projectinsulnation.com [http://www.projectinsulnation.com/]

Further Resources:         
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 37: Chris Roome, Adventures With Type 1

In this episode, Jacqui is joined by Ellen Chaplin, a type 1 mum who shares her family’s experience of diagnosis, diabetes technology and resilience.

Ellen’s daughter Charlotte was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at six years old, just days before Christmas. What began as a routine appointment quickly became a life-changing hospital admission, marking the start of an intense and emotional learning curve.

Ellen reflects on navigating diagnosis in a rural area, learning to trust diabetes technology and finding balance around food, independence and school life. She also shares the impact of an unexpected brain tumour diagnosis of her own and what it meant to hand over her daughter’s diabetes care while facing major surgery.

This episode is a powerful reminder that life with type 1 diabetes unfolds alongside real life, messy, unpredictable and deeply human.

Further Resources:        
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 36: From Diagnosis to the Unexpected: Ellen’s Story

In this episode, Jacqui sits down with Jye Warren, a dad, social worker and person living with type 1 diabetes, for an honest and deeply human conversation about diagnosis, mental health, masculinity, parenting and finding the right support.

Diagnosed at 25, Jye shares what it was like navigating type 1 diabetes as a young adult with limited education, minimal support and the realities of young adult social life. He speaks candidly about burnout, denial, complications and the turning point that came with fatherhood and finally finding a healthcare team that truly understood him.

This episode also includes a special and heartfelt conversation between Jye and Jacqui’s son Harvey, offering a powerful glimpse into peer connection and what it means for kids living with type 1 diabetes to feel seen and understood.

Connect further with Jye on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_average_athlete2023/here [https://www.instagram.com/the_average_athlete_/]

Further Resources:       
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 35: A Type 1 Conversation with Jye Warren

In this episode of The Type 1 Club, Jacqui is joined by Jenna from Type One Vibes to talk about the realities of preparing for a major life event, including weddings while living with Type 1 diabetes.

Jenna shares her experience navigating the lead-up to her wedding with Type 1, unpacking the often unseen mental load that comes with managing blood sugars, stress, expectations and routines during big, emotional events. From planning ahead and troubleshooting “what if” scenarios to letting go of perfection on the day, Jenna offers honest insight into how Type 1 can show up during milestone moments.

Together, Jacqui and Jenna discuss practical strategies for event preparation, including how to plan for long days, unpredictable schedules, food, alcohol, dancing, photos and adrenaline — all while still wanting to feel present and enjoy the moment. They also explore the emotional side of big events: body image, pressure, comparison and the grief that can quietly sit alongside joy.

This conversation is both grounding and empowering, offering reassurance that with preparation, flexibility and support, people living with Type 1 can show up fully for life’s biggest moments — without needing everything to be perfect.

Connect further with Jenna on Instagram: @tyeponevibes [https://www.instagram.com/typeonevibes/]

Further Resources:       
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 34:  Big Events and Blood Sugars with Jenna from Type One Vibes

In Part Two of this conversation, Jacqui and Liz shift from diagnosis to what life actually looks like afterwards and how Type 1 doesn’t have to limit dreams, adventure, or possibility.

Liz shares how her family made the bold decision to continue with their long-held dream of travelling Australia, even after both of her sons were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Eighteen months after Dan’s diagnosis, the family packed up their off-road van and began a 12-month lap of Australia, tackling some of the most remote regions in the country.

Liz walks us through the real-life logistics of managing Type 1 for two children while living on the road — from organising spare loan pumps, transmitters, CGMs, and NDSS supply drops, to carefully planning resupply points in towns like Cairns, Darwin, and Broome. She explains how preparation, organisation and flexibility made it possible to travel far from hospitals without fear.

Together, Jacqui and Liz reflect on how confidence grows over time — from the fear of letting a child out of your sight after diagnosis, to navigating remote hikes, off-grid living and day-to-day adventures. Liz also highlights the role of technology, including pumps, CGMs and Starlink internet, in helping families stay connected, safe and supported wherever they are.

The episode wraps with practical tips for travelling with Type 1, including hypo treatments that work best on the road and a message that sits at the heart of Liz’s journey: Type 1 is something her children carry, not something that defines or limits them.

Further Resources:      
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 33: One Family’s Type 1 Journey (Part 2 - Life on the Road)

We’re kicking off 2026 with a powerful and deeply moving conversation.

In this episode of The Type 1 Club, Jacqui is joined by Liz Blackburn, a mum to two energetic boys, Jimmy and Dan, both living with Type 1 diabetes. Liz shares what it’s like to walk the diagnosis road not once, but twice and how experience, intuition and community shaped their family’s journey.

Liz takes us back to Jimmy’s diagnosis, which unfolded while the family was on holidays on the NSW mid-north coast. What began as bedwetting, excessive thirst and weight loss quickly escalated into a late-night ambulance transfer and an urgent hospital admission, just in time to prevent DKA.

Three years later, the story takes an unexpected turn. After choosing to participate in Type 1 Screen (listening to Episode 17 for further information), Liz and her family learned that their younger son Dan had positive antibodies. With monitoring underway, the family hoped diagnosis might still be years away, until subtle symptoms appeared during another coastal break. This time, knowledge and preparation meant Dan was diagnosed early and safely, surrounded by his family and medical team back home.

Further Resources:      
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 32:  One Family’s Type 1 Journey (Part 1 - Double Diagnosis)

In our final episode for 2025, host Jacqui Kidman sits down with the incredible Bianca Ward — Type 1 mum of two, longtime supporter of the Type 1 Foundation and the heart behind the Care Packs program.

Bianca shares her family’s deeply personal journey through her daughter Daisy’s diagnosis at age 2, followed by her son Daniel’s diagnosis a few years later. She reflects on the shock, the fear, the finger-prick monitoring and the slow process of accepting a second diagnosis — all while raising a newborn. Her honesty is raw, generous and instantly relatable to any parent walking this path.

From attending her first Foundation Christmas party in 2017 to now leading the Care Packs program, Bianca explains how these beautifully curated packs come together — and why they matter so much. Each Care Pack is personalised, thoughtfully built and designed to feel like a hug during one of the most overwhelming times a family can face. They include practical tools, comforting items, sibling resources, samples, medical alert supplies and special touches chosen with love.

Bianca also discusses her passion for connecting families, helping parents find their "people," and making sure no one faces Type 1 alone. From Tiny-Tots sessions to Grandparent Webinars, Mum Dinners to Christmas events, she works to ensure every family has somewhere to land.

Further Resources:      
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 31: The Heart Behind the Care Packs: Bianca’s Story

In this powerful and emotional episode, Jacqui sits down with Kimmie, mum to Priya, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just three years old after a terrifying brush with DKA.

Kimmie opens up about the traumatic lead-up to Priya’s diagnosis — weeks of illness following a tonsillectomy, multiple GP visits, and a heartbreaking moment when she found her daughter unconscious on the floor. She shares what it was like to rush to hospital, hear the words “she could die,” and watch insulin quite literally save her daughter’s life overnight.

Together, Jackie and Kimmie talk about what life has looked like since: the transition from MDI to pump and CGM, starting school, navigating identity and confidence, and the mental load of parenting a young child with Type 1.

This is a must-listen for parents of little ones newly diagnosed, and for anyone who’s ever felt the weight of this condition. Kimmie’s honesty and advocacy will stay with you long after the episode ends.

🧠 What You’ll Hear

 * Priya’s traumatic diagnosis story and how COVID isolation delayed early signs
 * What DKA looked like for a 3-year-old and the lifesaving role of insulin
 * Moving from injections to tech (Omnipod and Dexcom)
 * Helping Priya navigate school life and self-confidence with visible devices
 * Why advocacy and gentle awareness matter in classrooms
 * The importance of parental mental health and therapy
 * How Kimmie reframes “diaversaries” as family milestones of growth and strength

Further Resources:      
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 30: Surviving DKA and Thriving with Type 1: Kimmie and Priya’s Story

Jess shares the journey of parenting through two life-changing diagnoses — first understanding Millie’s neurodivergence and then adapting to the demands of daily diabetes management. Together, they talk about the unique challenges (and insights) that come with balancing both, how ADHD influences diabetes care and the strength it takes as a parent to navigate constant learning, advocacy and support.

This episode is a powerful reminder that every child’s path is different and that understanding, flexibility and community can make all the difference.

What You’ll Hear

 * Millie’s ADHD diagnosis story and how it shaped Jess’s parenting
 * The shock of Millie’s later Type 1 diabetes diagnosis
 * How ADHD impacts diabetes routines, focus and food decisions
 * Strategies Jess uses to support Millie’s independence and confidence
 * The emotional load of parenting a child with multiple diagnoses
 * Why connecting with other families who “get it” can be so grounding
 * The importance of compassion — for your child and yourself

Further Resources:      
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 29: From ADHD to Type 1–Jess’s Journey Supporting Millie Through Dual Diagnoses

In this week’s episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui is joined once again by Andi Balog, also known as The T1D Nutritionist, to take a deep dive into one of the most important (and often confusing!) aspects of Type 1 diabetes management: carbohydrate counting.

Andi shares her personal journey with carb counting from diagnosis to mastering the skill, and offers practical tools, mindset shifts, and strategies to build confidence and reduce overwhelm when managing food and insulin.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about carb counting, confused by food labels, or stuck relying on packaged food for ease, this episode is packed with tips to help you take the next step toward more accurate, flexible and empowered diabetes management.

Connect further with Andi @thet1dnutritionist [https://www.instagram.com/thet1dnutritionist]
Carb counting masterclass [https://empoweringhealthcoaching.thinkific.com/courses/carb-counting-masterclass]  
Or visit The Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/nutritionandexercise] 

Further Resources:    
Type 1 Foundation Website [https://www.type1foundation.com.au/]
Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/]
Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Agrpd2YbW/]

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au

Episode 28: Mastering Carb Counting with Andi Balog

Welcome to the Type 1 Club - Navigating Type 1 Together

A podcast hosted by the Type 1 Foundation, a community who intimately understand the challenges and triumphs of raising a child with Type 1 Diabetes.

Join us as we share others personal experiences, insights and expertise to inform, educate and empower others on this journey. With knowledge, compassion and support, no one should ever feel alone in managing Type 1 Diabetes. 

Welcome to the Type 1 Club.

Type 1 Foundation

Shows