In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui sits down with Drew Harrisberg, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 21 years old.

Drew offers a powerful reflection on the early days of diagnosis. From the shock and sleepless nights to gradually building confidence and trusting himself to navigate T1D. He talks about his journey to make peace with uncertainty, the lessons learned along the way and the importance of empathy, support and not expecting perfection.

💬 In this episode:

• Recognising symptoms and acting quickly
• The emotional rollercoaster of diagnosis
• How type 1 impacts every aspect of daily life and how to adapt
• Support networks, honesty, and the value of sharing the reality (not just the wins)
• Drew’s advice to go easy on yourself and take it one day at a time

This candid, grounded conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to have it all figured out to be doing an incredible job. Drew speaks with vulnerability, humour and heart. A role model, a voice that will resonate with many.

🔗 Connect with Drew:
Follow Drew on Instagram:  Drews Daily Dose

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, host Jacqui Kidman welcomes back guest Lia Goodwin, mum to Violet who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 11 months old.

Lia shares the raw, honest, and deeply personal journey of navigating the early childhood education and care system with a child living with T1D — from the overwhelm of diagnosis to building trust with educators, transitioning between centres, and advocating for meaningful inclusion and support.

💬 What We Cover:

• How Lia approached childcare shortly after Violet's diagnosis
• The emotional toll of leaving a medically vulnerable child in someone else’s care
• Training educators, adapting care plans, and building trust in early learning settings
• The lack of formal support for type 1 diabetes in the Inclusion Support Program
• Facing (and overcoming) discrimination and fear of stigma
• The incredible ways Violet’s current centre supports her and educates others
• Practical tips and strategies to help families prepare for childcare
• The importance of parent-led care planning and proactive communication

This episode is full of valuable insights and advocacy wisdom for any family preparing to send their young child with T1D into early learning environments. Whether you're just beginning your childcare journey or looking to improve your current setup, Lia’s experience will resonate deeply.

🔗 Connect with Lia and Violet’s journey:
Follow on Instagram: @oursweet.type1
Listen to Episode 10: Violet's diagnosis story here

Further Resources:   
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: [email protected]

In this deeply honest and powerful episode, Jacqui speaks with Tiara, a mother navigating the early days of her daughter Alaska’s recent Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. At just 11 years old, Alaska's diagnosis came after months of confusing symptoms, misdiagnoses, and even a moment of collapse — all just days before starting high school.

Tiara shares how she trusted her gut despite dismissals from medical professionals, and how the diagnosis reshaped every part of their family’s world overnight. From managing Alaska’s medical anxiety and sensory sensitivities to advocating for her at school and learning a whole new medical language, Tiara’s story is one of fierce love, resilience, and the invisible weight parents carry.

This episode is for every parent who's ever felt overwhelmed, every child trying to be brave, and every family finding their way through a new diagnosis.

💬 What We Cover:

• The long path to diagnosis and how fainting during a board game led to hospital
• Alaska’s medical anxiety and why a pump made all the difference
• Navigating two new high schools in two weeks after diagnosis
• The emotional toll on parents — and how Tiara is coping
• Dyscalculia, tech, and double-checking insulin math
• Finding a diabetes educator who changed everything
• Tiara’s advice for other families just starting out on this journey
• Why the Type 1 community matter so much

📲 Follow Alaska and Tiara:
Instagram - see Alaska proudly rocking her pump and sensor and sharing her story with the world.

Further Resources:  
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: [email protected] 

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui sits down with 23-year-old Emily Searle — a university student, childcare educator, and passionate Type 1 diabetes advocate living in Sydney.

Diagnosed with celiac disease at age three and Type 1 diabetes just one week before graduating high school at 17, Emily shares her powerful and deeply personal story of navigating two chronic conditions. From initial denial and needle phobia to learning how to advocate for herself and find community, Emily’s journey is filled with resilience, humour, and wisdom.

She speaks candidly about managing diabetes through exams, dating, travel, endometriosis, and the complex relationship with food — especially when living with both diabetes and celiac. Now a proud voice in the Type 1 community, Emily shares her life on Instagram to reduce stigma, empower others, and remind everyone that diabetes doesn’t define you — but it can shape you.

💬 What We Cover:

• Emily’s diagnosis just before HSC and her biggest fears at the time
• The mental and social challenges of injecting at school and in public
• Living with both Type 1 and celiac — and how it affects food, emotions, and planning
• Navigating needle phobia and learning to self-manage from day two
• Why she shares her journey on Instagram and what it means to build community
• The emotional impact of highs and lows, and how her friends and boyfriend help
• How she’s built a full, beautiful life post-diagnosis, with study, work, travel, and more
• Her unique hypo treatment (spoiler: it involves café sugar sticks!)

📲 Follow Emily:
Instagram: @EmilyT1D
She shares her Type 1 life to connect, empower, and raise awareness.

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui chats with Brodie Sharpe — runner, advocate, and founder of TypeRun_

Diagnosed at age 15, Brodie shares his personal journey from learning to manage life with Type 1 to launching a global Guinness World Record attempt. Along the way, he has found purpose, strength, and a sense of belonging through movement and connection.

Whether you're a runner, parent, or just looking for inspiration, Brodie’s story is a powerful reminder of how one step at a time can lead to something extraordinary.

🏅 World Record Attempt:

Beginning August 26, Brodie will take on an incredible challenge — attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive marathons run by a male living with Type 1 diabetes.

That’s 26 marathons in 26 days.

And on Day 27 (September 21), he’ll keep pushing, competing in the Western Sydney Half Ironman, with his brother by his side.

Living with Type 1 for nearly six years, Brodie’s mission is clear: raise $26,000 for the Type 1 Foundation and prove that life with diabetes has no finish line.

💬 What We Cover:

• Brodie’s diagnosis story and navigating life with T1D from age 15
• How running helped him regain control and confidence
• The story behind the Guinness World Record relay and what it meant
• The creation of TypeRun_ and the power of community
• Using movement as a tool for physical and mental wellbeing
• Advice for anyone wanting to take that first step — on the track or in their T1D journey

🔗 Connect with Brodie:
Follow Brodie on Instagram:  Typerun_
Donate here 

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, host Jacqui Kidman chats with Lachlan Trowell — a Type 1 diabetes coach, content creator, and passionate advocate for holistic diabetes management. Diagnosed just two days before Christmas at age 14, Lachie shares the story of his diagnosis, the emotional and physical toll it took, and the unique challenges of navigating adolescence while learning to manage a chronic condition.

Lachie opens up about how his family — especially his mum — rallied around him after his diagnosis, the role sport and nutrition play in his management, and the importance of trial, error, and resilience. Now, more than a decade into life with Type 1, he’s built a coaching business to fill the education gaps he wishes were there for him.

This conversation is packed with wisdom, lived experience, and relatable laughs. Whether you’re a parent, newly diagnosed, or decades into life with Type 1, there’s something for everyone in this episode.

💡 What We Talk About:

• Lachie’s diagnosis story and catching it before DKA
• Managing Type 1 as a teenager (and how puberty complicates things)
• Confidence, mental health, and the social dynamics of injections
• What Lachie wishes more newly diagnosed families were told
• Why movement, sleep, stress, and food timing matter
• Coaching others through the ups, downs, and data

🔗 Connect with Lachie:
Follow Lachie on Instagram: @trainer.trowell
He shares practical advice, training tips, and honest insights on life with Type 1

Further Resources:  
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this deeply personal and raw episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, Jacqui Kidman sits down with her now close friend Sally Jeffree, who bravely shares the story of her son Henry’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis—and everything that came with it.

It all began with an unexplained fainting episode at a birthday party. What followed was a whirlwind: a type 1 diabetes diagnosis while Sally was caring for a newborn, and then, within 12 months, a coeliac disease diagnosis too.

Sally opens up about:

• The moment everything changed
• Navigating hospital stays and newborn care at the same time
• The crushing weight of grief, guilt, and helplessness
• The unexpected strength that comes from friendship, community, and being seen

This is an honest conversation between two mothers who understand the impact of a chronic diagnosis—not just on a child, but on a whole family. Sally’s story is raw, real, and ultimately full of connection.

🎧 Listen now and share with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone.
#Type1Diabetes #DiagnosisStory #T1D #CeliacDisease #Motherhood #ChronicIllness #Type1ClubPodcast #RealTalk #ParentingWithPurpose

Further Resources:  
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club podcast, Jacqui is joined by Emily Viles — known to many through her Instagram page @emilysdiabetes. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a baby, Emily shares her powerful story of growing up with the condition and how it shaped her approach to life, pregnancy, and now parenthood.

Emily takes us through her journey of preparing for pregnancy, managing her diabetes during those intense months, and navigating birth with confidence. She also talks about her current role leading the PDC Mums & Bumps project, where she supports and connects other women with type 1 navigating the same path.

Highlights:

• Growing up with type 1 after a baby diagnosis
• Preparing for and managing diabetes during pregnancy and birth
• Leading the PDC Mums & Bumps project to support others on the journey

This is a warm, informative conversation filled with real-life insights for anyone thinking about pregnancy with type 1 or just wanting to hear a beautifully honest story.

Connect with Our Guest on Instagram

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club Podcast, host Jacqui Kidman sits down with Associate Professor John Wentworth, a leading researcher in type 1 diabetes, to discuss an exciting and hopeful new chapter in type 1 research and prevention: Type 1 Screen.

Together, they explore:

• What Type 1 Screen is and why it matters
• How early detection of type 1 diabetes can prevent medical emergencies and change outcomes
• The simple, non-invasive process of screening
• The bigger picture: how research is evolving and where it’s heading

Whether you have a family history of type 1 diabetes or not, this episode is a must-listen for anyone who cares about the future of health, prevention, and proactive care.

🔍 Take Action: Get Screened Today

Type 1 Screen is a free, voluntary test that checks for early markers of type 1 diabetes. It’s quick, safe, and could be life-changing.

✅ Who can get tested?
Children aged 2–30 years with a relative who has type 1 diabetes (parent, sibling, cousin, aunt/uncle, or grandparent)

🧪 What’s involved?
A simple finger prick test (at home or with a pathology referral). If markers are detected, you’ll be offered support and access to monitoring and research studies, including prevention trials.

🌐 How to do it:

1. Go to www.type1screen.org
2. Register online
3. Choose your test type: home kit or pathology referral
4. Return your sample and wait for results

🧭 More Info & Support:
Visit https://www.type1screen.org for FAQs, eligibility, and next steps.

💡 Why This Matters

This screening initiative is one of the most exciting advancements in type 1 diabetes research. For the first time, we have a tool to predict, monitor, and potentially prevent the development of type 1 diabetes before symptoms appear. Early knowledge = empowered action.

Be part of the change. Get screened. Spread the word. Help shape the future of type 1 diabetes.

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group

In this episode of the Type 1 Club podcast, Matt Pontel shares how his insulin pump gives him the freedom to thrive in a career filled with business travel and shifting time zones. He talks about the practical strategies he uses to manage type 1 diabetes on the go—and how exercise plays a key role in his downtime.

Matt also opens up about the challenges of balancing workouts with pump management, and how he’s built a strong type 1 community to stay informed, supported, and connected.

Highlights:

• Managing diabetes across time zones with pump tech
• Using exercise to decompress—and the challenges it brings
• Building a T1D community to grow knowledge and support

A real-world look at living well with type 1, no matter where life takes you.

Connect with Our Guest on Instagram

Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group