T1 Diams

• Therapeutic education: Delivered by our healthcare professionals, this education aims to help beneficiaries acquire and maintain the competencies and knowledge they need to manage their lives at home, school, or work.
• Medical supplies: We ensure that individuals with Type 1 diabetes receive the necessary medical supplies in sufficient quantities for daily use. The kit includes insulin, a glucometer, glucose test strips, and insulin pens and needles. We closely monitor through HbA1c tests, the standard in blood glucose monitoring, for effective diabetes management.
• Social integration: The social integration project aims to create solutions that enable beneficiaries to lead fulfilling lives by evaluating, counselling, and treating Type 1 diabetics and their families to help them overcome emotional, behavioural, and social challenges. It also involves capacity building through training, placements, and career guidance.
• Specialised consultations: Regular consultations with various health professionals, including diabetologists/endocrinologists, psychologists, ophthalmologists, nutritionists, and paediatricians, who work together with the association's medical staff.
• Interventions for Advanced Complication Stage (ACS): This project focuses on timely intervention to prevent microvascular and macrovascular complications. We provide support structures for surgical interventions in Mauritius or abroad based on recommendations from our healthcare professionals.

Beneficiaries: As of 2019, over 290 individuals with Type 1 diabetes benefit directly from T1 Diams' support, and this number continues to grow. In addition to direct beneficiaries, we also support their families (primarily through psychological follow-up and education with our professionals and volunteers), totalling over 1,000 indirect beneficiaries who become self-sufficient in managing Type 1 diabetes.

T1 Diams began in July 2005 when the father of an 18-month-old baby with Type 1 diabetes was desperately seeking the right insulin for his son. He encountered a pharmaceutical employee, and together they shared their concerns. They were soon joined by another Type 1 diabetic, who had been receiving treatment since the age of 9. They realised that the treatment for children with Type 1 diabetes in Mauritius was inadequate and decided to combine their efforts to improve the situation. The first executive committee of the association was formed in September 2005 with 8 members.

T1 Diams was established with the sole purpose of making life easier for beneficiaries and their families. To achieve this, T1 Diams requires financial resources and various forms of assistance to improve the lives of its members. Every child deserves the best opportunities to succeed in life, but above all, they have a right to health.

Today, the association has its dedicated centre for Type 1 diabetics located in Quatre Bornes, staffed by dedicated personnel trained at the Children's Hospital of Saint Denis and the University Hospital Centre of St Pierre in Réunion Island.

• To improve the lives of our beneficiaries living with Type 1 diabetes and their families.
• To communicate useful and up-to-date information to our members.
• To help families as a whole manage the disease.
• To provide updated information to medical and paramedical professionals, in collaboration with national and international experts.
• To organise fundraisers to achieve our various objectives.

Our Vision
To empower our members and see them lead healthy, active, and normal lives, just like any other young person their age.

Anou Zwenn Sessions

A series of therapeutic sessions conducted by our psychosocial team, grouping beneficiaries by age. These sessions encourage listening to the concerns and needs of each beneficiary and sharing with the therapist. Anou Zwenn aims to improve the services offered by T1 Diams through a bio-psychosocial approach, covering community, relational aspects, knowledge and experience sharing, and resilience. It provides an opportunity for parents of newly diagnosed children and new members to meet and build connections. Participants also get to know the T1 Diams team, their roles, and responsibilities, and learn about hospital protocols and how to report complaints. They also understand T1 Diams' mission and values and the importance of attending appointments and activities.

Family Evenings

Held twice a year, these events in April and December bring together around a hundred members and their families. These evenings are perfect opportunities for members, families, partners, and volunteers to gather, have fun, and relax.

Diabetes Camp

A seven-day camp for members aged 0 to 30 organised across various locations on the island. The camp aims to provide greater autonomy for children, adolescents, and young adults living with Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Awareness

Raising awareness helps reduce the lack of information and address the taboos and indifference faced by those with Type 1 diabetes. This project allows T1 Diams to educate the public and foster greater societal understanding, thereby facilitating the social integration of Type 1 diabetics. We firmly believe that these taboos and misconceptions will diminish through various awareness activities conducted by T1 Diams, including public communication campaigns, online information dissemination, and targeted presentations. Since launching several campaigns, such as the ‘Ça me regarde’ campaign in 2010, we have regularly conducted presentations in schools, companies, shopping centres, and public places, and we participate annually in the “Salon de la Santé” health fair.

Blue Mode

Celebrated every year on November 14, World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 in response to the rising incidence of diabetes worldwide. T1 Diams marks this day in solidarity with all those who did not choose to have this condition but are affected by it. Each year, the association initiates "Blue Mode Week," during which the public and businesses are invited to wear blue for a few days as a show of support for all children and young people living with diabetes.

Fundraising Activities

Various activities such as charity dinners and Bingo Nights are organised to raise funds for the association. We also conduct an annual fundraising drive in December.

Cooking Workshops

In collaboration with a dietitian, we organise themed cooking workshops, such as the "Chocolate Workshop" for Easter and cooking sessions for parents. These workshops are held during school holidays. The objective is to provide therapeutic education focused on preparing healthy meals and snacks and adjusting insulin accordingly when consuming these meals.

Ramadan Workshop

Each year, T1 Diams organises a "Ramadan Workshop" one month in advance for all members who wish to observe Ramadan. For many Muslim diabetics, observing the intermittent fasting of Ramadan is an important religious practice. This period involves changes in lifestyle, meal quality and schedule, sleep cycles, and a relative decrease in physical activity. The balance of diabetes, often achieved with difficulty, can be abruptly disrupted during this time without proper preparation and sustained support. T1 Diams is here to provide the necessary guidance and assistance to help members manage their diabetes effectively during Ramadan.

Key Achievements

• 2005: Creation of the association.
• 2006: Registration with the Registrar of Associations and launch of the first national awareness campaign on Type 1 diabetes.
• 2007: Launch of the therapeutic education programme following training at the Children's Hospital in Réunion Island.
• 2008: Launch of the "Social-Economic Empowerment" project and the first Diabetes Camp in Mauritius.
• 2009: Accreditation with the National CSR committee and introduction of the "basal bolus" treatment with close monitoring using analogue insulin, a first in Mauritius.
• 2010-2013: Improvement of processes and projects focused on enhancing the quality of life for Type 1 diabetics.
• 2014: A Medical Update Group, featuring participation from Dr Garandeau, focuses on providing the latest medical information and updates.
• 2015: Participation in the ISPAD (International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes) conference in Australia and the IDF (International Diabetes Federation) conference in Canada, with two posters showcasing T1 Diams' activities. A Medical Update Group with Dr Chaurand.
• 2016: Launch of the Youth Leader Scheme to train young members to become leaders.
• 2017: Inauguration of the new T1 Diams centre in Quatre Bornes and rebranding of T1 Diams.
• 2018: Participation in the ISPAD conference in Hyderabad, India, presenting five posters prepared by the T1 Diams team.
• 2019: Second Charity Dinner organised by T1 Diams in partnership with Lux Island Resorts.

Today, T1 Diams is the leading NGO supporting Type 1 diabetics in Mauritius, offering a comprehensive and multidisciplinary self-management programme.

Our funding is supported by a variety of generous sponsors, including:

• SICOM
• J Kalachand & Co Ltd
• Outremer Telecom
• SWAN Foundation
• Terra Foundation
• Leal & Co. Ltd
• GFA Insurance Co Ltd
• Omnicane Foundation
• National Social Inclusion Foundation (NSIF)
• Eau Val Ltd
• Siebel
• MNS Ltd
• Waco Mauritius Co Ltd