What happens when you’re diagnosed with Type 1 at 12 years old, before CGMs, social media or a Type 1 community existed?

In this episode, Jacqui sits down with Mel Hall, who was diagnosed with Type 1 in 1997 at just 12 years old.

Mel shares the reality of growing up with Type 1 in the 90s, from a frightening diagnosis and a two-week hospital stay to hiding hypos at school, feeling embarrassed about being “the girl with the needles” and spending years trying to pretend diabetes didn’t exist.

She opens up about teenage drinking, denial, diabetes stigma and the impact of feeling like she had to manage everything on her own.

After more than 20 years of struggling with her diabetes, discovering CGM technology became a turning point. For Mel, seeing the numbers helped her finally realise that it wasn’t a personal failure. Diabetes was hard.

This is an honest and incredibly relatable conversation about growing up with Type 1, the emotional side of diabetes and how technology can change not just the numbers but the way we understand ourselves and our diabetes.

And this is only part one...

Mick will join us for Part Two to share what it’s like being the partner of someone living with Type 1.

You can connect further with Mel via:
Instagram: @t1melissahall [https://www.instagram.com/t1melissahall/]

If this episode resonated with you. Please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes, or with a parent, friend or family member who wants to better understand the invisible side of this condition.

Every conversation helps break down stigma and reminds our community that they are never alone.  

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 48: Mel’s Story: Diagnosis, Denial & Growing Up With Type 1

What if the symptoms you’ve been trying to explain are actually Type 1 diabetes?

In this episode, Rhonni shares the story of her 12 year old son Moulaye’s Type 1 diagnosis after months of symptoms including nausea and concerns about his growth.

With Moulaye already living with ADHD and anxiety, it was difficult to know what was causing what. Then over the Christmas holidays he became seriously unwell and was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and DKA.

Rhonni talks honestly about the diagnosis, the signs that were missed, managing Type 1 alongside ADHD and neurodivergence and the challenges of navigating school, insulin and everyday life.

We also talk about the importance of trusting your gut, looking back at those little signs and finding your feet in the first six months of life with Type 1.

A really honest and insightful conversation about diagnosis, DKA, ADHD and the reality of parenting a child with Type 1.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another Type 1 family planning their next adventure.

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 47: When ADHD Masks Type 1 Diabetes

Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes can feel overwhelming but it doesn't have to stop your family from exploring the world.

In this solo episode of The Type 1 Club, Jacqui shares everything she learned from a recent 12-day family holiday to Bali with her son Harvey, who lives with Type 1 Diabetes.

From packing diabetes supplies and navigating airport security to managing overnight glucose monitoring overseas, this episode is packed with practical tips that will help you feel more confident travelling with Type 1.

Jacqui shares the systems that worked for her family, the challenges they encountered, and the small adjustments that made a big difference, so you can spend less time worrying and more time making memories.

Whether you're planning your first overseas holiday or you're a seasoned traveller looking for new ideas, this episode is full of honest advice from one Type 1 family to another.

If you have your own travel tips or experiences, we'd love to hear from you. Share them with us, we're always learning from this incredible community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another Type 1 family planning their next adventure.

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 46: Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes: Jacqui's Bali Survival Guide

In this episode, Susan Mangion shares the story of her daughter Ella’s Type 1 diagnosis and what life has looked like for their family since that day.

Ella was almost 11 when she was diagnosed and Susan talks openly about those first days in hospital and the huge learning curve that followed.

The conversation covers so many of the realities that come with raising a child with Type 1. From managing hypos and navigating school to learning to trust other people with Ella’s care and slowly giving Ella more responsibility as she has become more confident with her diabetes.

Susan also talks about moving to an insulin pump and the freedom that this has given Ella. While the pump has been a game changer for their family it has also highlighted how much work still happens behind the scenes to manage Type 1.

There is a really honest conversation around the emotional side of Type 1 too. Susan shares the impact that constantly thinking about blood glucose levels food exercise and insulin can have on Ella and the challenge of wanting to feel like a normal kid when Type 1 is always there in the background.

You can connect further with Susan via: 

Retreat club website:  The Pilates Retreat Club [https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/]
Instagram: @pilatesretreatclub [https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub/] and @changinglanesthepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast/]

If this episode resonated with you. Please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes, or with a parent, friend or family member who wants to better understand the invisible side of this condition.

Every conversation helps break down stigma and reminds our community that they are never alone.  

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 45: “Give Yourself Grace”: Navigating Type 1 with Your Child — Susan Mangion

What does Type 1 diabetes burnout really look like?

For many people, the answer isn't what you'd expect.

In this powerful conversation, I'm joined by diabetes advocate Lucy Woods, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just six years old. Lucy shares her diagnosis story, growing up with diabetes before continuous glucose monitors and modern technology, and the years she silently struggled with burnout.

What makes Lucy's story so important is that, from the outside, no one knew she was struggling. She appeared happy, capable and thriving, while secretly avoiding insulin, hiding her blood glucose levels and carrying the overwhelming mental load of living with Type 1 diabetes.

Today, Lucy has transformed that experience into advocacy, using her voice to help others feel less alone. Through her work, social media and community involvement, she's changing the conversation around diabetes burnout and reminding people that there is hope on the other side.

Whether you're living with Type 1 diabetes, parenting a child with T1D or supporting someone you love, this episode offers practical insights, reassurance and a powerful reminder that no one should navigate diabetes alone.

You can follow Lucy's inspiring advocacy and positive approach to living with Type 1 diabetes:

📱 Instagram: @thesweetlifeoflucy
🎵 TikTok: @thesweetlifeoflucy

Lucy shares honest conversations about diabetes burnout, practical tips, everyday life with Type 1 and plenty of encouragement for anyone navigating the highs and lows of diabetes.

If this episode resonated with you.

Please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes, or with a parent, friend or family member who wants to better understand the invisible side of this condition.

Every conversation helps break down stigma and reminds our community that they are never alone.

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 44: The Burnout No One Sees: Lucy's Type 1 Story

For 16 years, Aron Mazur managed his Type 1 diabetes largely on his own.

From the outside, he looked like he had everything under control—a successful career, extensive travel, an active lifestyle and a HbA1c that suggested he was "doing fine." But behind the scenes, Aron was carrying something much heavier: shame, fear and the emotional burden of living with Type 1 diabetes.

In this incredibly honest conversation, Aron shares his diagnosis story at age 17, including an initial false negative result that delayed his diagnosis, the devastating impact diabetes had on his mental health, and how a single conversation with his dad completely changed the way he viewed his condition.

We also explore why the emotional side of Type 1 is often overlooked, how perfectionism and shame can become barriers to better management, and why finding the right support made all the difference.

This episode is a powerful reminder that Type 1 diabetes is about so much more than blood glucose numbers.

Connect with Aron

Follow Aron on Instagram @aron.mazur [https://www.instagram.com/aron.mazur/] for honest conversations about living with Type 1 diabetes, mental health and improving diabetes management.

If this episode resonated with you please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes or supporting someone who is. Every conversation helps remind people they are not alone.

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 43: 16 Years of Silence: Aron Mazur's Turning Point with Type 1 Diabetes

What happens when you're diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as an adult, far from home and with no idea what life is about to look like?

In this episode, Jacqui sits down with Type 1 advocate Sarah Loftus to share her powerful diagnosis story. Diagnosed at 26 while living in Australia, Sarah opens up about months of unexplained symptoms, navigating a life-changing diagnosis without family nearby and learning to manage a condition she knew very little about.

Sarah also speaks candidly about something rarely discussed in the diabetes community—living with Type 1 after recovering from an eating disorder. She shares the emotional challenge of returning to food calculations, insulin dosing and constant decision-making while protecting her mental health.

This is an honest, vulnerable conversation about resilience, therapy, advocacy and why finding your community can make all the difference.

Connect with Sarah:
Follow Sarah on Instagram @smollsarahl [https://www.instagram.com/smollsarahl] for honest conversations about living with Type 1 diabetes, mental health and improving diabetes management.

If this episode resonated with you please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes or supporting someone who is. Every conversation helps remind people they are not alone.

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 42: Type 1, Mental Health and Finding Your Community with Sarah Loftus

The teenage years can bring a unique set of challenges for young people living with Type 1 diabetes. As independence grows, so do the demands of managing a chronic condition alongside school, friendships, sport, social pressures and the desire to simply fit in.

In this episode, Jacqui is joined once again by Angie Manzke from Reflective Haven to explore the emotional side of Type 1 diabetes during adolescence. Together, they discuss diabetes burnout, motivation, responsibility, family dynamics and how parents can continue to support their teenagers without creating conflict or pressure.

Angie shares practical strategies for understanding what's happening beneath the surface when a young person starts disengaging from their diabetes management and explains why connection, compassion and nervous system awareness are often more powerful than reminders, rewards or consequences.

Connect further with our Guest:
Website: Reflective Haven [https://reflectivehaven.com.au/]
Instagram: @reflectivehaven [https://www.instagram.com/reflectivehaven]

Join Angie's "The Joyful Child Within" program
A monthly online art and nature-based group for children aged 5–10 living with Type 1 diabetes, designed to build emotional resilience, confidence and connection through creativity and play. You can find more information on the Type 1 Kids Groups page on Reflective Haven's website.

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 41: Supporting Teens with Type 1 Diabetes – Burnout, Independence and Emotional Wellbeing with Angie Manzke

In this episode of The Type 1 Club, Jacqui speaks with Hannah, a fellow Type 1 mum whose son Eli was diagnosed at just 10 months old.

Hannah shares the early signs they missed, the terrifying moment that led to calling an ambulance and Eli’s time in intensive care with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. What began as months of an unsettled baby quickly turned into a life-changing diagnosis just days before Christmas.

Together, Jacqui and Hannah talk about navigating life with a very young child with type 1 diabetes – from learning injections and managing unpredictable blood sugars to the relief of moving onto insulin pump therapy with diluted insulin.

They also discuss:

 * The challenges of managing diabetes in babies and toddlers
 * Food aversions and the realities of dosing insulin for little eaters
 * Sibling dynamics when one child needs extra care
 * The role of technology
 * How the type 1 community often becomes an invaluable source of support and practical advice
 * Preparing a child with type 1 diabetes for kinder and school

Hannah also shares her perspective on protecting children from the emotional weight of diabetes for as long as possible while still helping them grow into confident young people living with the condition.

A thoughtful and honest conversation about parenting, advocacy and finding your people in the “worst best club.”

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 40: Diagnosed at 10 Months: Eli’s Type 1 Diabetes Story

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui speaks with Himanshu, who shares his experience of living with type 1 diabetes and later supporting his son through the same diagnosis.

They discuss the realities of managing diabetes across different generations, the role of technology and how families learn to adapt, support each other and keep life moving forward.

Himanshu shares the importance of family support, managing parental anxiety and helping his son see diabetes not as a limitation but simply as part of their lifestyle.

It’s an honest and thoughtful conversation about parenting, resilience and learning to live with type 1 together.

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 39:  Living With Type 1 Together

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 Dia

Type 1 Club Podcast · Zencastr

Type 1 Club Podcast

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.