Diabetes Action Month 2020: Love Don’t Judge
This year’s Diabetes Action Month Love Don’t Judge campaign raised awareness of the realities of living with diabetes, including diabetes distress and the effects diabetes can have on emotional and mental health. Diabetes NZ led this conversation across many communication platforms, reaching millions of New Zealanders with this key messaging.
The theme of Love Don’t Judge received great feedback from the overwhelming majority of the diabetes community, who felt emotional wellbeing was an important discussion point in relation to the condition. It was well-received by media and had great engagement on social media, particularly through our new campaign element of Facebook Live.
Facebook Live
The aim of the Facebook Live sessions was to open up the conversation around diabetes and emotional wellbeing, inviting viewers (particularly those living with diabetes and their support team) to participate and ask questions. Different guests were on the couch each week, discussing their own experiences and perspectives on emotional wellbeing and diabetes.
Diabetes Q&A and Diabetes and Covid-19 sessions coming soon!
New Diabetes Distress resource
The focus on diabetes distress and the need for an understanding of the emotional burden of living with diabetes and the need for more kindness and understanding resonated within and outside of the diabetes community and also with media.
In partnership with health psychologist Anna Friis, we released a downloadable resource on diabetes distress.
The campaign video encouraging Kiwis to wear their heart on their sleeve for diabetes was aired on a number of channels including television, social media and online news websites and reached a total of more than 500,000 people over the month.