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JUSTDUK1T: youth advocates for diabetes from Scotland go viral

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Published on Wednesday, 16 October 2013 12:23

JUST DUK 1T is a website created by young people with type 1 diabetes for young people with type 1 diabetes.

The project came about to increase the support for young people with type 1, as this is an extremely difficult time for this group and there is not a great deal of resources available to them. Diabetes UK invited young people from all over Scotland to develop the website and make it exactly what they wanted and needed from their experiences of living with type 1.

Launched on 7 September 2013, JUST DUK 1T is an interactive website that provides information on the basics of type 1, top tips for diabetes management, social aspects of living with the condition, and how to look after yourself. It takes a light hearted approach, and features many different mediums of portraying information – from comic strips to videos, and factsheets. 

Dani Cochrane, a youth advocate for diabetes who is part of the group that developped the online platform (the Mighty Ducks!) and who also took part in the IDF Europe Youth Leadership Camp, explained to us the reason behing JUSTDUK1T: “Sometimes living with type 1 diabetes can feel like nobody understands how difficult it can be. Sometimes it feels like you are expected to ‘just do it’. Well we want young people with type 1 to be able to JUST DUK 1T, duk the highs, duk the lows, and duk diabetes. We want them to do everything you are supposed to do when you are young, and have the knowledge and support to be able to look after their diabetes at the same time!”

Join the Mighty Duks community at www.justduk1t.org.uk and look for them on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JUSTDUK1T and Twitter - https://twitter.com/JUSTDUK1T