I know I should be clever about this and wait till we’ve uploaded all the images – but I’m too excited not to share! Check out just a few of the 295 images from SA’s first diabetes stock photo shoot.
#LanguageMatters Diabetes South Africa
It’s time for South Africa to address the language used around diabetes. And by language we mean both words and imagery, in the media and in healthcare settings.
“Language Matters Diabetes has slowly evolved into a global movement that discusses the language we use when dealing with different types of diabetes. These guides provide practical examples of language that will encourage positive interactions with people living with diabetes and subsequently positive outcomes.”
This movement was started in Australia, and has since spread to the UK, Europe, India, Latin America, Canada and the USA. Here’s a South Africans with Diabetes podcast about why language matters.
SA’s first diabetes stock photo shoot
While we have made some progress in getting diabetes featured more often in the media, it is usually accompanied by terrible images – plates of sugar, unhealthy people, scary needles, fast food.
Part of this problem is education – which the position statement, website and social media will address. Part of it is access to relevant, South African images of people with diabetes.
To solve this, we decided to organise a stock photo shoot, with a group of truly representative people with diabetes in South Africa.
This photo shoot included individuals injecting, taking tablets, testing their blood glucose, using diabetes technology (all brand names blurred out for diabetes-related images), making and eating healthy food together, walking in nature, sitting and chatting to each other and working. All the many things people with diabetes in South Africa do, beautifully photographed and free for any media outlets to use via Unsplash.
Diabetes stock photo gallery
There are so many more! Honestly, this is just a teeny tiny taste of what’s on offer…
Find out when all the images are available
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out when all the images are available! They are going to be free to use for absolutely anyone. Huge thanks to Mike Rose, our brilliant photographer, and to all our wonderful models – we could not have done this without you.
What to read next?
Why does the language of diabetes matter?: Renza Scibilia, the manager of Type 1 Diabetes and Communities at Diabetes Australia, shared some of her knowledge on this topic.
Sweet Life is awarded an international diabetes grant!: Panorama launches The T1D Community Fund, and announces first cohort of global grantees – Sweet Life Diabetes Community is one of them! Find out more about the work we’re going to do here.
The Type 1 Diabetes Guidebook – for parents: This practical, helpful guide was written to help parents whose children have just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, packed with advice from other parents who understand.
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