#SetsMeFree: “According to WHO estimates, by 2030, India is expected to have over 98 million diabetics,” Nupur Lalvani on her journey with Type 1 diabetes, and what sets her free.

Nupur Lalvani has been living with Type 1 diabetes since she was 8 years old. Type 1 diabetics need to take 4–6 injections daily, and test sugars on a glucometer 5–7 times every single day, just to survive. She is the Founder and Director of Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation, which is an NGO and support group for people living with all types of diabetes in India. She is also a writer, coach, motivational speaker, Certified Diabetes Educator and Certified Insulin Pump Trainer. She runs marathons and ultra marathons, and recently successfully completed the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker as part of India’s first type 1 diabetic team. She also enjoys MMA — Mixed Martial Arts — and is a strong advocate for women’s health and empowerment too.

According to WHO estimates, by 2030, India is expected to have over 98 million diabetics. We aim to be part of the diabetes solution by creating a safe space for people with diabetes, and want to educate, engage and empower each one in the country.

We are a volunteer-led patient body of people with diabetes, with physical chapters in various cities and an expanding presence online, notably our Facebook community: Diabetes Support Network India. We launched the Blue Circle Diabetes mobile app made for and by diabetics, with all our app beta testers being T1 diabetics, and made the first-of-its-kind ‘diabetes calendar’ featuring 12 people living with diabetes, including public figures. We conduct diabetes awareness programmes at government and private schools, and corporates across cities. We also have a rural outreach programme, and run a monthly social media campaign, where we have a topic of the month and invite people to share videos/photos and get featured on our platform. We conduct monthly 5km runs, occasionally have dance workshops, rock climbing, trekking, CrossFit workshops and coffee meet-ups where people and their families can meet socially and engage with others living with diabetes. Since Covid, we launched a free, app based, multilingual diabetes and mental health helpline, called the Buddy Project Helpline. We also run Blue Circle Workshops, free diabetes workshops conducted online, every weekend.

Author: Posted by Megha Maheshwari, based on a story shared with WiT-ACE Editorial by Nupur Lalvani, Founder and Director of the Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation.

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