Friends of Know Diabetes North West London

01/06/2026

Living with diabetes is already hard enough.

But for many people, the condition also comes with judgement, blame, assumptions, unwanted comments, and misinformation from others.

Diabetes UK’s “Strike Out Stigma” campaign is calling for a change in how we talk about diabetes and how we support people living with it 💙

8 in 10 people with diabetes say they have experienced negative attitudes because of their condition.

That stigma can affect confidence, emotional wellbeing, healthcare experiences, work life, and even whether someone feels comfortable asking for help.

At Friends of Know Diabetes, we believe people deserve support, understanding, and honest conversations free from shame or blame.

Find out more:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/support-us/campaign/strike-out-stigma

28/05/2026

What does it really take to help shape the future of healthcare and research? 🧠🔬

You do not need a medical background to help improve healthcare.

Lived experience, personal stories, and honest feedback all play an important role in helping organisations understand what patients really need.

Dr Shelley Rahman Haley talks about the importance of volunteering, sharing experiences, and helping shape future research and healthcare conversations. 💙

As AI and digital healthcare continue to evolve within the NHS, keeping real patient voices at the centre of those conversations matters more than ever.

Have a watch and hear the conversation for yourself 👇

25/05/2026

Changing how we talk about diabetes starts with people being willing to speak up, support others, and share lived experiences.

Diabetes UK is encouraging more people to get involved through volunteering opportunities, community support, campaigns, and lived experience networks helping shape future conversations around diabetes care and stigma.

You do not need special qualifications or experience to make a difference. Sometimes simply sharing your perspective or supporting others can have a real impact 💙

As conversations around diabetes stigma continue for the upcoming Diabetes Week, it’s important that people living with diabetes feel heard, represented, and understood.

Find out more:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/support-us/volunteer

21/05/2026

What does that wiggly line on an ECG actually mean? 🤔

Dr Shelley Rahman Haley explains the science behind the ECG and how the heart creates its own electrical signals.

It’s one of the simplest but also one of the most important heart tests in medicine. 💙

As AI continues to develop within the NHS, tools that help interpret scans, ECGs, and patient data are becoming part of the wider conversation around faster diagnosis and better care.

Have a watch and hear the explanation for yourself 👇

18/05/2026

A lot of people living with diabetes experience judgement, assumptions, blame, or comments that others may not even realise are harmful.

Diabetes UK’s “Strike Out Stigma” campaign is helping raise awareness of how stigma affects emotional wellbeing, confidence, healthcare experiences, work life, and whether people feel able to ask for support.

8 in 10 people living with diabetes say they’ve faced negative attitudes because of their condition.

As Diabetes Week approaches, we want to help continue that conversation through Friends of Know Diabetes and our upcoming Home Shows 💙

Because everyone deserves support, not stigma.

Find out more:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/emotional-wellbeing/stigma

14/05/2026

Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of healthcare, but what does that actually mean for patients?

Dr Shelley Rahman Haley will be joining us tomorrow to discuss how AI is already being used within heart healthcare across the NHS, including earlier detection, diagnostic support and improving access to care.

📅 Friday, 15th May at 1pm

Live inside the Friends of Know Diabetes Facebook Group

Join our FB group and RSVP to "The Reality Of AI In The NHS Right Now"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofknowdiabetes

11/05/2026

Artificial intelligence is already changing healthcare across the NHS. 🤖✨

Our next Friends of Know Diabetes Home Show welcomes Dr Shelley Rahman Haley, Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, to discuss how AI is helping improve diagnosis, patient care and heart healthcare services.

The conversation will explore how AI is being used in real clinical settings, particularly for people living with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

📅 Friday, 15th May at 1pm

Live inside the Friends of Know Diabetes Facebook Group

Join our FB group and RSVP to "The Reality Of AI In The NHS Right Now"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofknowdiabetes

05/05/2026

Looking for more in-depth support with Type 2 diabetes? 🌿

“My Type 2 Diabetes” is a free NHS online course designed for people who have been diagnosed and want a fuller understanding of their condition.

It covers:

📌 Diagnosis and monitoring
📌 Weight management and movement
📌 Medication
📌 Lifestyle factors
📌 Complications and prevention
📌 Living well long term

The course takes around 4 hours and can be completed in sections at your own pace.

Delivered through Know Diabetes with NHS West and North London and MyWay Digital Health. 💙

Taking time to understand your condition can support better long-term outcomes.

Start here:
https://elearning.knowdiabetes.org.uk/courses/my-type-2-diabetes

16/04/2026

More research is needed to address health inequities in diabetes.

Current evidence and care models don’t always reflect how diabetes presents across different groups. For example, people from Black and South Asian backgrounds are often diagnosed earlier or at lower body weights, yet much of the data used to design treatments is based on White European populations.

There are also gaps in areas such as access to physical activity and women’s health, where support is not always aligned to people’s lived realities.

Anna Morris, Assistant Director of Research Strategy and Partnership at Diabetes UK, is part of the work shaping a more inclusive approach - bringing research, lived experience and system change together.

Read more here:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/we-are-calling-more-research-help-tackle-diabetes-inequities

We’ll be continuing this conversation with Anna in an upcoming Home Show, happening tomorrow in our Facebook group.

The experiences of some people with diabetes – particularly those from underserved communities – have historically been overlooked in research. This means care isn’t always tailored to the diverse needs of everyone at risk or living with diabetes.

15/04/2026

4 million people reached.

600+ campaigners involved.

And it all started with people sharing their stories. 🤗

During our Home Show, Colette Marshall, CEO of Diabetes UK, spoke about campaigns like If You Knew and Strike Out Stigma.

Campaigns shaped by people living with diabetes, challenging misconceptions and changing how diabetes is talked about.

That impact is now going further, influencing training, awareness, and even how guidelines are written.

That’s how change happens.

💬 Have you seen or experienced stigma around diabetes?