Action4Diabetes: Celebrating a Decade of Transforming Lives
- Rachel Teoh
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 31
As Action4Diabetes (A4D) marks its 10th anniversary, we explore the remarkable journey of closing the gaps in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) care through the perspectives of our co-founders Charles Toomey, Jerry Gore and the first and longest-serving team member, Dr May Htet Lwin.
The Vision That Started It All
The original spark for A4D was a conversation I had with a doctor in a small, rural hospital in Myanmar in 2014. I asked if she had seen many Type 1 Diabetes cases - and she replied "We don't have Type 1 Diabetes in the country" and I realised this was 'impossible'! — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
Action4Diabetes was born from Charles' and my shared commitment to create meaningful impact for young people living with T1D in disadvantaged environments. My extreme climbs were more than just challenges – they were a way to raise awareness. As someone living with T1D, I wanted to show that this condition doesn't define or limit a person's potential. — Jerry Gore, Co-founder
When I joined A4D in July 2015 as a Clinic Support Doctor in Yangon, we supported only one clinic in Myanmar. By 2025, we now have 8 clinics across the country. — Dr. May Htet Lwin
The Early Years: Building Awareness and Community
Our mission was clear from the beginning – to ensure that young people with T1D could live full, productive lives despite the challenges of diagnosis and access to treatment across South-East Asia. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
My favourite early memories include our first camp in Yangon in March 2016, and my first home visit to Hlegu with Charles, Jerry and Jackie. These moments showed me the real impact we could make. — Dr. May
Breakthrough Moments
Supporting nearly to 1,000 young people through our Clinic Support Programme is our proudest achievement. As someone with T1D, I understand how each person's needs differ, and A4D offers an in-depth, individualised care for each child – whether it's eye screening, dietary advice, or peer-to-peer support. That really is a gold standard level of individual support. — Jerry Gore, Co-founder
One of our most significant breakthrough was gaining commitment from Eli Lilly to support our Laos programme, providing free insulin supplies until 2030 for all diagnosed cases – a country where we initially couldn't find a single T1D patient in 2017. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
I feel most proud when I can help people thrive through our ASPIRE Scholarship programme. Watching young people like Yati achieve her dreams showed me the real impact of our work. — Dr. May
Navigating Challenges - What Made the Difference
Our biggest challenge came in 2020-2021 when we saw the need to transition from pilot interventions to systemic change. The breakthrough came when Professor May Ng became our Chief Medical Advisor, she added to the team what we needed to take A4D to the next level — Jerry Gore, Co-founder
My personal experiences climbing mountains became a metaphor for what we wanted to achieve – overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles. — Jerry Gore, Co-founder
The fundamental reason we overcame challenges comes down to people and partnerships. We have been able to achieve what we have done in a sustainable way through our commitment to partnership. Aligning with partners and building on their respective capabilities is critically important, beginning with the HCPs who work in the clinics we support, to the medical associations in the various countries, and the industry partners who help fund our programmes and supply life saving medical supplies, global philanthropic groups, international medical organisations and other NGOS who have complementary skills and the list goes on. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
It starts with the people in the A4D team that we have put together, this is really key and at the heart of it. We attracted highly talented individuals who are deeply committed to our mission, have great resilience and are team players. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
Our A4D members understand each other well. It feels like a second family where I can contribute 100% of my efforts to supporting disadvantaged people. — Dr. May
Compassionate, Enlightening, and Dedicated. — Dr. May
Growth & Impact
We continue to close gaps in T1D care throughout South-East Asia with a focus on the following pillars - Life Saving Medical Supplies, T1D Education & Awareness, Health Capacity Building, ASPIRE Scholarship Programme, and Research & Advocacy.
From supporting just 20 young people with T1D in Myanmar, we've grown to supporting over 41,000 T1Ds across 7 countries through our various programmes such as our Clinic Support Programme and HelloType1 our innovative T1D education platform in local language. We are making an impact with a team of 16 colleagues from 9 different nations. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
Looking to the Future
Our long-term goal is to ensure that every child with T1D can live a full, productive life, pushing boundaries just like I've done through my climbing challenges. — Jerry Gore, Co-founder
We will continue to identify and close gaps in T1D diagnosis and treatment across South-East Asia, empowering T1Ds and enhancing healthcare systems in the countries where we operate. — Charles Toomey, Co-founder
I'm excited about how we've grown and the potential we have to make even more difference in the lives of children with T1D. — Dr. May
A4D will continue to improve health outcomes, making an impact in the South-East Asian countries we serve and #takingontype1 will always be our priority even when the journey gets tough.
Mountains are climbed one step at a time, and so are the greatest achievements in life. – Unknown
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