Caroline Buchanan.
The MFA DE&I Council would like to see an industry where everyone can thrive, feel heard, supported, and safe to do their best work. Let’s meet the Changers who are sharing their own lived experiences to inspire us all to change for the better.
I was 10 years old when my mum took me to hospital after weeks of confusing symptoms during the summer school holidays. By the end of the day, I had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
I remember sitting in the hospital completely confused. I didn’t know what diabetes was, I just knew everyone around me suddenly seemed worried. What I couldn’t have known was that from that day on, I’d be making around 180 extra decisions every single day just to manage a condition most people would never see.
For those who may not know, T1D is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, it isn't caused by diet or lifestyle choices, and there is currently no cure. Today, I manage my diabetes using an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which sends my glucose readings directly to my phone and pump.
Although T1D involves management via technology and injecting insulin, it’s also about constant decision-making. Every meal, every coffee, every walk or pilates class and every unexpected change in my daily routine requires consideration.
As I’ve moved from school into university, living overseas and now into the workplace, diabetes has come with me. Sometimes I need to step away to treat a low blood glucose level or respond to an alarm from my continuous glucose monitor app. These moments are usually brief, but they remind me how important understanding and flexibility can be.
To me, inclusion isn’t just about recognising visible differences. It’s also about remembering that some people are managing things you’ll never notice unless they choose to tell you. A meaningful difference could mean allowing someone a few minutes to manage a health condition or simply asking questions instead of making assumptions.
Personally, I enjoy when people ask questions about my medical condition as it gives me a chance to not only educate others and challenge assumptions but share the slightly ridiculous stories that come with it – such as trying to explain why my continuous glucose monitors cannot go through an x-ray machine to airport security or convincing a high school teacher my pump wasn’t actually a hidden camera.
At this point, managing T1D is basically running in the background of my brain 24/7. It’s become second nature, and my normal. I don’t expect everyone to understand exactly what living with Type 1 diabetes is like, but I hope the next time someone mentions diabetes, they’ll remember that not all challenges are visible and that a little curiosity can go a long way.
Caroline Buchanan is Program Coordinator NGEN & MFA Foundations at Media Federation of Australia (MFA)
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