This year’s World Diabetes Day theme is to increase access to diabetes education.

More than 95% of the time, people living with diabetes are looking after themselves. They need greater access to ongoing education to stay mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy and avoid health-related complications.

One in 10 adults worldwide currently lives with diabetes, an estimated 537 million people. Almost half do not know they have it. This is putting added strain on healthcare systems.

Healthcare professionals must know how to detect and diagnose diabetes early and make the most of their limited time to provide the best possible advice and care for people with diabetes.

World Diabetes Day (WDD) was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225. It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN Resolution on diabetes. The blue circle is the global symbol of diabetes awareness. It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes epidemic.

We’re celebrating people’s ability to thrive living with diabetes with inspiration from the great Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.

Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858 and later diagnosed with diabetes in 1908. Numerous reports mention that he struggled to manage his diagnosis for much of his life.

As we discuss Puccini’s artistry and life, we will be interspersing highlights of the history of diabetes, self-care treatments, and innovations for the past hundred years.

Puccini’s artistic triumphs include La bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly. Unfortunately, his last opera, based on the fable of Turandot, would remain unfinished due to his death from throat cancer in Brussels in 1924.

Guests include Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

Throughout this podcast, we will feature music from Puccini: Great Opera Arias courtesy of SONY Music.