Type 1 Diabetes in Rwanda

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Type 1 Diabetes is a dangerous autoimmune condition that can affect anyone in Rwanda.

3,900 People are living with Type 1 Diabetes
8,300 People should still be alive today What does this mean?
49 Healthy years of life are lost per person What does this mean?
What does this mean?

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Type 1 diabetes is growing rapidly and can affect anyone

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Type 1 diabetes is growing rapidly and can affect anyone

In Rwanda, T1D is growing at 10.3% each year compared with 4.5% for Type 2 Diabetes

What does this mean?
2000 Today
Type 1 Diabetes

โ€œIn too many places, T1D is an invisible disease, not on the radar of the healthcare community and often diagnosed only when it's too late.โ€

- James Reid, Program Officer, Helmsley Charitable Trust

Type 1 diabetes is a dangerous condition that steals years of healthy life

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Type 1 diabetes is a dangerous condition that steals years of healthy life

The average ten year old in Rwanda enjoys 71 healthy years of life

What does this mean?
71 healthy years

If they develop type 1 diabetes, on average they will lose 49 of those healthy years

22 healthy years

โ€œWith type 1 diabetes once you get to the point where your body makes no insulin, you need insulin to survive, or you will die. The commonest cause of death for young people with diabetes globally is a lack of diagnosis right at the start.โ€

- Dr Graham Ogle, paediatric endocrinologist, General Manager, Life for a Child

Timely diagnosis

5.5 healthy years restored

If we could promptly diagnose everyone in Rwanda affected by Type 1 Diabetes, we could restore 5.5 years of healthy life per person

healthy years

If we could diagnose everyone affected by type 1 diabetes at onset, we would restore an average of 5.5 years of healthy life.

healthy years

It is easy to ignore or misdiagnose the signs of type 1 diabetes until it is too late, as people with type 1 diabetes urgently need insulin to survive

In Rwanda, 23.8% of children who develop type 1 diabetes are never diagnosed.

That means 1,600 birthdays were not celebrated in Rwanda this year.

But simple things, like a $1 educational poster can help make a diagnosis and save a life.

Insulin and strips

22 healthy years restored

If everyone in Rwanda had access to insulin, test strips and good self-management, we could restore 22 years of healthy life per person

healthy years

If everyone with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda received insulin and glucose test strips, we could restore 22 years of healthy life per person

healthy years

Management of type 1 diabetes involves multiple daily injections and frequent monitoring

In Rwanda, 4,400 people are not alive today for the sake of a small vial of insulin and a tiny test strip.

Each extra test strip used can add 4 hours of healthy life.

Together we can change the story for people living with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda.

Pumps and CGMs

7.3 healthy years restored

If everyone in Rwanda had access to devices, we could restore another 7.3 healthy years to the average person with type 1 diabetes.

healthy years

If everyone in Rwanda had access to technology that automates glucose monitoring and insulin delivery, we could restore 7.3 years of healthy life per person

healthy years

Without devices, the average person with type 1 diabetes spends 18 days a year managing the condition

Devices like pumps and CGMs reduce the work of managing type 1 diabetes.

CGM sensors are usually replaced twice a month. Every time it restores 64.6 hours of healthy life to the average person in Rwanda with type 1 diabetes

Together we can change the story for people living with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda.

Prevention and cures

full life expectancy restored

To restore all the years lost to type 1, we need to continue investing in prevention and cures.

healthy years

To restore all the years lost to type 1, we need to continue investing in prevention and cures.

healthy years

Research worksโ€”In the last 50 years of progress

magnify-bits

25 years have been added to the lifespan of a person receiving the latest care.

We are working to make T1D a thing of the past.

One day we will discover how to restore the body's ability to make insulin againโ€”eradicating T1D

Help us turn type 1 into type none through impactful research.

Together we can change the story for people living with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda