Life after diagnosis: Three Canberra mums on raising kids with type one diabetes

Posted on 7 May, 2026

It’s something that never stops, never slows. A constant undercurrent of anxiety, distress and worry compacted by the feeling that you’re never quite doing the right thing.

It’s a whirlwind of emotions I experience everyday as a type one diabetic – a frenzy that hasn’t slowed down in the 22 years since my diagnosis.

I’ve written about my own experiences living with the chronic illness many times before, but now as I begin to think about motherhood as a woman in her late 20s, I find myself returning to someone else’s story – my mum’s.

I was five. She was 37, raising me as a single parent. In an instant, everything changed.

Years later, echoes of the trauma and distress she experienced remain: the late nights by my side in the hospital, the anxiety of not always knowing how to help me and the pain of being a parent watching your unwell child face the world.

Type one diabetes (T1D) affects more than just those who are diagnosed. It ripples through entire families.

On Saturday 16 May, the Type 1 Diabetes Enlighten Gala is taking place at the Hellenic Club to raise money to help change the lives of families living with and impacted by T1D and to back critical research for a cure.

Following the incredible success of the 2024 Gala – which raised $196,000 – this year they’re aiming even higher.

Ahead of the event, I sat down with three mums who currently have children living with TID to hear their untold stories – the realities, the challenges, and the resilience that often goes unseen.

And to my mum – thank you. Life after diagnosis hasn’t been easy, but it would have been a whole lot harder without you by my side.

Emma Konstantinou mum to Maya aged six, diagnosed at the age of two and a half. Wife to Angelo living with T1D for 30 years.

How has having a child with T1D impacted you?

My husband lives with T1D but having a child with T1D really changed every part of our lives. It means there is no real switch-off, day or night. As a parent, you carry the constant responsibility of keeping your child safe while trying to let them just be a child. I struggle the most with her life is in my hands and I fear that the most.

What do you wish people knew about T1D?

I wish people understood that T1D is an autoimmune condition, not caused by anything we did. It is 24/7 and incredibly demanding. Even with technology and advances, it still requires constant decisions, monitoring, calculations, and vigilance every single day. The burnout is real.

How will the money raised on the night support those living with T1D?

The money raised helps fund life-changing research aimed at better treatments and ultimately a cure. Every dollar raised gives hope and helps move us closer to a future where no family has to live with this burden.

What would a world without diabetes mean to you?

It would mean no more worry – worry of the safety of my child and the battle daily with the aspect that her life is in the hands of many. It would mean everyone living with T1D could live a life without medical appointments and devices, and families could breathe a little easier knowing T1D was no longer part of their story.

Beyond fundraising, why is an event like this important?

This is the biggest part of the gala for me as the founder – because it brings people together. It reminds families they are not alone, connects communities, and creates awareness among people who may not understand the reality of T1D. It’s a night of hope, connection, and shared purpose.

Gabrielle Chester, mum to Olivia 11 years old. Diagnosed at three years old.

How has having a child with T1D impacted you?

From the day of diagnosis, everything changed. You step into a world you didn’t choose, and there’s no pause button.

Every day becomes a series of decisions: food, insulin, activity, sleep. You’re constantly thinking ahead, adjusting, watching, responding. It doesn’t switch off overnight. It sits in the background of everything you do. It’s made us more aware and more resilient, but it’s also a weight that never fully lifts.

What do you wish people knew about T1D?

It’s a condition that never stops. There are no days off, no breaks, no ‘good weeks’ where you can forget about it.  Even when things look fine on the outside, there’s constant management happening behind the scenes. And that takes a toll, on those living with T1D and the families alongside them.

How will the money raised on the night support those living with T1D?

It funds life-changing research that drives better treatments and brings us closer to a cure. It also supports advocacy, helping ensure people living with T1D have a stronger voice and better access to the care, technology and support they need.

What would a world without diabetes mean to you?

Relief from the constant worry and fear it brings to our lives.

And for Olivia, the freedom to just be a kid, without the alarms, sensor changes, pump changes, bolusing, corrections, and everything else that comes with it.

Beyond fundraising, why is an event like this important?

Because it brings people together in a way that reminds you that you’re not alone. T1D can feel invisible to those not living it. Events like this shine a light on what families carry every day, and build awareness, understanding and support around it.

Mel Eveille mum to Grace 24 years old. Diagnosed at nine years old.

How has having a child with T1D impacted you?

It changes everything. Diagnosed at nine years old and now navigating and supporting her into adulthood, it still remains a massive burden as a mum and as a family. Even as an adult, T1D is 24/7 – there are no breaks or off switches.

As a parent, you never stop carrying the worry, just in a different way. You see the emotional and financial struggles your child faces, and that brings a deep and constant angst.

What do you wish people knew about T1D?

It is an autoimmune condition that requires constant management, day and night. What people don’t always see is the ongoing emotional and financial burden it places on individuals and families.

How will the money raised on the night support those living with T1D?

It funds life-changing research that improves daily management and brings us closer to cures. It also supports advocacy, ensuring people living with T1D have a stronger voice and better access to the care, technologies, and supports they need. Alongside this, it drives better treatments, technology, and care that reduce the burden of T1D today, while building progress for tomorrow.

What would a world without diabetes mean to you?

It would mean freedom – from alarms, injections, calculations, and fear. For my child, a future not defined by a condition that never switches off.

Beyond fundraising, why is an event like this important?

It brings visibility to an invisible chronic condition. It also brings awareness and can save lives by helping people recognise symptoms early, before someone becomes critically unwell in an emergency room.

One night can change lives

Whether you buy a ticket, donate, sponsor, or simply share the message, you are helping create change for those living with T1D.

Promising an incredible evening of food and drink, live entertainment and more, the Type 1 Diabetes Enlighten Gala is lighting a way to hope for a future where life isn’t lived in the shadow of a chronic illness.

Hopefully – one day – it will lead to a cure.