A collaboration between Action4Diabetes (A4D) and Sanofi Global Health Unit (GHU)
Laying the Foundation
About a year ago, Action4Diabetes (A4D) and Sanofi Global Health Unit (GHU) embarked on a mission to help transform the lives of children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) across Southeast Asia. In a world where disparity in healthcare often leave vulnerable populations in low and middle income countries (LMICs) without essential resources, this partnership, aptly named ThriveT1D, was born out of a shared vision: improve access to quality T1D care and enhance health outcomes for young people on A4D’s programme in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar through education and empowerment.
Together, A4D and Sanofi GHU are working to create a sustainable impact, focusing on both immediate interventions and long-term solutions. The foundation was laid with a strong commitment to reaching underserved communities, providing not just T1D medical care, but also education and empowerment.
Taking on Type 1, One Step at a Time
Over the past year, ThriveT1D has made significant strides in transforming lives. The two-pronged approach ThriveT1D is committed to takes on T1D education and empowerment through T1D Family Camps and health capacity building. This commitment has seen us organise four T1D Family Camps, and various training events for local healthcare staff, contributing to health capacity building in the countries ThriveT1D supports.
Our on-the-ground efforts have been nothing short of inspiring. Four T1D Family Camps, 2 in Laos, 1 in Siem Reap and 1 in Phnom Penh, brought together over 330 children and young people living with T1D and their caregivers. These camps achieve the goals of educating in fun and memorable ways as well as encouraging peer-to-peer support that helps with the psychosocial stress of managing a very isolating condition alone.
The success of these camps are expressed in the near perfect ratings of the T1D Family Camp experience, and over 90% of participants indicating their desire to return to attend another camp. We were able to get qualitative feedback from the participants expressing a confidence in managing their T1D with regard to meal planning and eating habits and overall T1D management.
In many LMICs the burden of clinical T1D care fall primarily on the doctors with limited or no support from nurses, dieticians, other healthcare staff. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to T1D care is in line with the mission of ThriveT1D, and the health capacity building efforts begin with the involvement of nurses.
The introduction of a hybrid training programme for nurses in Cambodia is executed in two phases. Phase one is 8 weeks of online self-learning utilising content from A4D’s HelloType1 platform, this is accompanied by weekly tutorials led by doctors from participating hospitals. Participants are required to pass the online assessment to qualify for Phase 2 which is a full day workshop for practical hands-on skills.
Through the collaborative efforts of T1DThirive, we are able to leverage on A4D’s volunteer medical advisor Prof Taninee Sahakitrungruang from the School of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University to train over 40 healthcare professionals and specialists in Laos as well as run another comprehensive carb counting workshop for doctors and specialists in Cambodia.
Other notable efforts are the curated online workshops and training for healthcare professionals in Myanmar where physical workshops are too risky at the moment.
Faces of ThriveT1D: Stories of Hope
Behind every statistic is a story, and ThriveT1D is filled with stories of hope. Here is just one of the stories, of Mai from Laos. She was struggling under the weight of her T1D management, and was close to giving up. Doctors were referring her to psychiatrists to help her manage the rejection of treatment for her T1D. Today she is a happy, bright and thriving teenager, able to share openly about her T1D and has the potential to become an exemplary role model for those around her. Her time at both T1D Family Camps in Laos not only equipped her with crucial T1D education, but it empowered her to live a full life because of the friends she made and their shared experience.
Personal stories like this one highlight the true impact of ThriveT1D. Children who once faced an uncertain future are now empowered to chase their dreams. Families, once burdened with the fear of the unknown, now have hope and the tools to manage their children’s condition.
Building a Sustainable Future
One of the core objectives of ThriveT1D has been to create sustainable T1D care systems within communities. This goes beyond immediate interventions, focusing on long-term solutions that empower local healthcare providers and leaders. By building local capacity and fostering partnerships, ThriveT1D is ensuring that the impact of this collaboration will be felt for years to come.
The success of ThriveT1D is not just in the number of individuals helped but in the lasting change it is creating within communities. Local healthcare providers are now better equipped to manage T1D care, ensuring that those living with T1D can continue to receive the support they need.
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, the journey of ThriveT1D is far from over. The success of the past year has laid the groundwork for even greater impact. The 3-year collaboration ensures we have plans in motion to expand reach and impact in the supported countries under this collaboration.
The children and young people ThriveT1D supports are what keep us focused on the road ahead. Together, A4D and Sanofi GHU are committed to make a profound and sustainable difference for individuals with T1D in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, and look forward to achieving many milestones together.
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