Great optimism for researchers ahead of Diabetes Month: “I think we will treat type 1 diabetes within ten years”

World Diabetes Month begins on November 1 to draw attention to and increase knowledge of diabetes around the world. During the month, the Children’s Diabetes Foundation will focus on highlighting type 1 diabetes and increasing support for vital research.

Diabetes Awareness Month is an initiative based on World Diabetes Day on 14 November and is the world’s largest campaign to raise awareness of diabetes. It’s also when the Children’s Diabetes Foundation implements its Blue Knot campaign to highlight type 1 diabetes and drive fundraising for vital research. Type 1 diabetes is Sweden’s most common, life-threatening and incurable disease among children and young adults. The disease requires complex and intensive treatment around the clock for life. Despite the fact that research support today is unacceptably low, there is reason to be optimistic, says Johnny Ludvigson, founder of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and one of the world’s top ten researchers on type 1 diabetes.

I think we will be able to start treating cases of type 1 diabetes already within ten years. We don’t necessarily have to be able to treat everyone right away, but I think we’ll gradually be able to treat more and more before 2040. It wouldn’t surprise me if we could also start to prevent cases of type 1 diabetes and that the curve of patients was trending downward, he says.

To further support the research, many aspects of type 1 diabetes will be highlighted in this year’s Blue Knot campaign. Powerful stories from families living with the disease punctuate promising research projects supported by the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. The hope is that the media campaign will make more people understand that type 1 diabetes is still a life-threatening disease.

There is every reason to be optimistic, but unless research gets more resources we can’t expect breakthroughs from day to day. At the same time, we can’t give up just because we haven’t succeeded yet. We may have a breakthrough in five or 10 years, says Jonny Ludvigson.

On November 13, this year’s Diabetes Gala will be aired titled Beat Diabetes – The Fight for Life, in which Swedish, Danish and Norwegian celebrities compete against each other to raise funds for research into type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Former football star Lotta Schillen and comedian Olof Wörteling will represent Sweden on the programme. Swedish artists Smith Wethel will also take part in a televised event where the Children’s Diabetes Foundation stands as the main Swedish benefactor. Viewers will be offered an insight into life with diabetes and an understanding of the hope that research and technology development contributes.

With the right resources and many talented researchers, I’m convinced we can solve this. The more funds available in research, the greater and faster progress can be made. When I started doing research in the mid-1960s, it seemed like a fantasy to be able to send someone to the moon, but with a huge investment and favorable financial terms, it could have been implemented at the end of the 1960s, says Johnny Ludvigson.

Read more about this year’s Blå Knuten campaign here: barndiabetesfonden.se/blaknuten