Diabetes Week 2023
Diabetes week was created to raise awareness and knowledge of all types of diabetes. This Diabetes Week is all about celebrating people with diabetes and their achievements.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high. It can happen when your body doesn't produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces isn't effective. Or, when your body can't produce any insulin at all.
Types of diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
When you’ve got type 1 diabetes, you can’t make any insulin at all. If you’ve got type 2 diabetes, it’s a bit different. The insulin you make either can’t work effectively, or you can’t produce enough of it. They’re different conditions, but they’re both serious.
Other types of diabetes include gestational diabetes, which some women may go on to develop during pregnancy. And there are many other rarer types of diabetes such as type 3c and Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) too.
In all types of diabetes, glucose can’t get into your cells properly, so it begins to build up in your blood. And too much glucose in your blood causes a lot of different problems. To begin with, it leads to diabetes symptoms.
Life with diabetes
Living with diabetes can be difficult, but you shouldn’t need to put your life on hold.
Read inspiring stories from people whose lives have been affected by diabetes. Discover how they have overcome challenges in everyday life, to show you that you're not alone.
Read real life stories collected by Diabetes UK, from people who have learnt to adjust to life with the condition:
Diabetes UK Helpline
Helpline: 0345 123 2399
Email: helpline@diabetes.org.uk
Open: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
A dedicated diabetes helpline for all people with diabetes, their family or friends, and people who are worried they might be at risk.
Call the confidential helpline to talk to trained advisors with counselling skills and an extensive knowledge of diabetes.
