Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D

Matthew Garza, Director of dStigmatize at diaTribe, joins us to unpack a topic that so many people living with type 1 diabetes feel—but don’t always have words for: diabetes stigma. From subtle judgment to systemic bias, stigma can shape how people see themselves, how they interact with healthcare, and even the outcomes they experience over time.Matthew shares what diabetes stigma really is, why it’s more than just “a bad joke,” and how it shows up everywhere: from doctor visits to media portrayals to policy decisions. But this conversation isn’t just about naming the problem—it’s about what we can do to address it.We talk about the real impact stigma has on mental health, self-care, and engagement with the healthcare system. We discuss how small shifts in language, community, and confidence can start to change the story. This is a powerful, validating conversation for anyone who’s ever felt blamed, judged, or misunderstood while living with diabetes, and an important reminder that none of this is your fault.What You'll LearnHow stigma goes beyond hurtful comments to influence healthcare, research, and policy decisionsThe connection between stigma, shame, burnout, and disengagement from care Why negative healthcare experiences can create a cycle that’s hard to breakHow language choices (like “control” or “compliance”) can unintentionally reinforce stigmaSimple ways friends, family, and providers can be more supportivePractical ways to push back against stigma in your own lifeWhy your lived experience with diabetes is real expertise—and deserves to be respectedKey Quotes“Diabetes stigma is everywhere, and as soon as you start to notice it, you see just how insidious it is.” – Matthew Garza“It can feel really dismissive and make people want to disengage.” – Matthew Garza“When you find those allies, that helps it feel a lot less lonely and a lot less isolating.” – Matthew Garza Resources & LinksEnd Diabetes Stigma Pledge – https://enddiabetesstigma.orgdStigmatize – https://dstigmatize.orgdiaTribe – https://diatribe.orgBlue Circle Health (learn more / sign up) - https://bluecirclehealth.orgWhat is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?The US healthcare system makes it difficult, expensive, and often impossible for people with T1D to access the care, education, and support they need to live. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org/.

Dr. Bill Polonsky, President and Co-Founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, joins Scott to talk about dealing with the emotional side of living with type 1 diabetes. This isn’t about burnout as a buzzword or a clinical label. It’s about the real, day-to-day emotional weight of managing a condition that never lets up, and how that weight can quietly shape how we think, feel, and care for ourselves.In this conversation, Dr. Polonsky helps unpack what diabetes distress actually is, why it’s so common (and so misunderstood), and what we can do about it. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing at diabetes, or just tired of the constant mental load, this one will likely hit close to home and hopefully offer some helpful strategies.What You'll LearnWhat diabetes distress really is (and what it’s not)Why “trying harder” often makes things worseThe difference between depression and diabetes distressWhy experiencing diabetes distress is normal for those with type 1 diabetesPractical ways to reduce the emotional burden of diabetesWhat actually helps when you’re overwhelmedKey Quotes“It’s this very common feeling… where you just can feel this sense of pressure and burden of living with diabetes every day.” – Dr. Bill Polonsky“We used to think that depression was extremely common in people with type one diabetes… and what we now realize is that was wrong.” – Dr. Bill Polonsky“People were scoring high on depression questionnaires, but what we were really picking up was how overwhelmed they were about their diabetes.” – Dr. Bill Polonsky“Don’t do diabetes alone!” – Dr. Bill PolonskyResources & LinksLearn more about diabetes distress at http://diabetesdistress.org/Learn more about the Behavioral Diabetes Institute at http://behavioraldiabetes.org/Blue Circle Health (learn more / sign up) - https://bluecirclehealth.orgWhat is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?The US healthcare system makes it difficult, expensive, and often impossible for people with T1D to access the care, education, and support they need to live. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health (https://bluecirclehealth.org/), a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes.

Scott K. Johnson talks with Keshia Cannon-Peak, a former Blue Circle Health participant who lives in Delaware and has lived with type 1 diabetes since 1984. Keshia shares what her diagnosis was like when she was 11 years old, the isolation she felt growing up without knowing anyone else with type 1 diabetes, and how technology and online communities changed her relationship with diabetes over time.Keshia also walks us through how she found Blue Circle Health on social media (and why she initially thought it sounded too good to be true), what it felt like to add Blue Circle Health alongside her existing endocrinology care team, and the small, practical “game changer” tips that continue to help her today, about a year after she completed the program. She also spoke about a bigger shift: giving herself permission to ask for help, admitting when it’s hard, and giving herself grace. Keshia also shares that her experience with Blue Circle Health inspired her to go back to school with a new focus. What You’ll LearnWhy living with type 1 diabetes can feel isolating—especially when you don’t know anyone else who “gets it”How Keshia navigated childhood, teen years, and adulthood with T1D (and what support looked like for her)What changed when she realized there’s a whole world of people living with type 1 diabetes, and how community can helpHow Blue Circle Health can work alongside your existing care team and collaborate togetherWhy small, specific tools (like right-sizing low treatments) can make a big difference over timeKey Quotes:“I'm not alone. There are people like me.” — Keshia Cannon-Peak“I learned how to navigate, how to do things differently. Understanding what the charts mean, asking the questions why, and recommending what I should change as far as a basal rate and things like that. So I learned that from Blue Circle Health.” — Keshia Cannon-Peak“It's okay to say you need help,it's okay to say you're not having a good day, and it's okay to be overwhelmed sometimes” — Keshia Cannon-PeakResources & LinksBlue Circle Health (learn more / sign up): https://bluecirclehealth.org/Touched By Type 1 – The D-Box (free t1d starter kit): https://touchedbytypeone.org/What is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?The US healthcare system makes it difficult, expensive, often impossible for people with T1D to access the care, education, and support they need to live. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with t1d.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org/

Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES, FADCES, joins Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D to unpack a powerful tool in diabetes management: exercise! An award-winning diabetes educator and the owner and founder of Integrated Diabetes Services, Gary brings deep clinical expertise and lived experience to the conversation.Together, Scott and Gary talk about why exercise can feel intimidating with T1D and how to reframe physical activity as something that supports quality of life. From CGM lag time and insulin sensitivity to finding movement that’s actually enjoyable, this episode offers practical, reassuring guidance for anyone who wants to move more confidently with T1D.Reminder: We are not providing medical advice. For personalized guidance, we'll always encourage you to talk with your personal healthcare team.What You'll LearnWhy exercise is about more than blood sugar — and why mental health matters just as muchHow consistent movement improves insulin sensitivity and predictabilityPractical ways to start exercising safely, even if you’ve been inactive or feel overwhelmed How to think about CGM lag time and trends during activityWhy movement doesn’t have to look like a gym workout to “count”Key Quotes“Physical activity is extremely valuable for so many aspects of our daily quality of life — not just blood sugar management, but our mental wellbeing and our physical health now and down the road.” – Gary Scheiner“I think it’s important to make exercise fun. Not a chore, not a task, not a painful thing you have to do.” – Gary Scheiner“Anything is doable. If you learn how to adjust for it accordingly, we can figure out a way to make it work.” – Gary Scheiner“Being active on a consistent basis keeps that insulin sensitivity amplifier dialed up — and that makes things more predictable.” – Gary ScheinerResources & LinksIntegrated Diabetes ServicesThink Like a Pancreas the Podcast: Community Partner Spotlight: This episode highlights Ginger Vieira and “Diabetes Nerd”🌐 Visit: https://diabetesnerd.com to learn more.What is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?People with type 1 diabetes fight two wars: one against a relentless 24/7 condition, and another against a healthcare system that makes it difficult and expensive to stay alive. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org

Dr. Len D’Avolio, CEO and co-founder of Blue Circle Health, sat down with Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D host Scott Johnson to discuss why today’s healthcare system makes living with type 1 diabetes harder than it should be and how better is possible.Drawing on decades of experience building and studying healthcare systems, Len explains why type 1 diabetes has become the “poster child” for what’s broken in chronic care today. Together, Scott and Len explore how a complex web of insurers, administrators, and financial and operational incentives can distort care, limit access, and leave people with T1D feeling unsupported despite trying their best to navigate their healthcare.Through real stories, this episode exposes the gap between what people with T1D need to live well and what the healthcare system typically provides. The conversation also highlights why Blue Circle Health exists, what it’s trying to fix, and where there is still room for hope and meaningful change.What You'll LearnWhy T1D is a “poster child” for a broken system: How chronic conditions reveal the cracks in modern healthcare more clearly than almost anything else.Who actually influences your care: A look at the many invisible players — beyond your doctor — who shape access, coverage, and treatment decisions.Why healthcare often feels impersonal: How financial and operational incentives can override human-centered care.What’s been tried before: Past attempts to “fix” the system — and why many haven’t worked as intended.Where hope lives: How new care models, including Blue Circle Health, aim to realign incentives around people instead of profit.What change really requires: The difference between incremental fixes and true systemic transformation. Key Quotes“Type one is the plane that never lands. You didn’t ask for this job, but now it’s your job for the rest of your life.” – Dr. Len D’Avolio“Our healthcare system is designed to make it more difficult, more expensive, in some cases impossible to gain access to the medicine and the knowledge and the training that you need.” – Dr. Len D’Avolio“The problem is the misalignment between all of the things that people need to live a long and healthy life with type one versus what they currently get from our healthcare system.” – Dr. Len D’Avolio“It’s not that we [the U.S.] don’t spend enough money to dramatically improve hundreds of thousands of lives right now. It’s that we spend it on the wrong things.” – Dr. Len D’AvolioResources & LinksCommunity Partner Spotlight: Diversity in DiabetesDiversity in Diabetes works to create a more equitable diabetes landscape, with education, advocacy, and monthly “Insulin Inclusive” virtual meetups.🌐 Visit: https://diversityindiabetes.org to learn more.What is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?People with type 1 diabetes fight two wars: one against a relentless 24/7 condition, and another against a healthcare system that makes it difficult and expensive to stay alive. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org

It can feel like people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are fighting for their lives in a system built to wear them down. The twist is that clinicians often feel the same weight as they fight to provide care.In this episode, host Scott Johnson talks with two highly-skilled healthcare professionals from University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio: Natalie Bellini, an endocrine nurse practitioner and program director for diabetes technology, and Quiana Howard, a PhD candidate and clinical nurse research specialist.The conversation delves into the systemic struggles that prevent people with T1D from getting the support they need to live well with diabetes. The guests, including Natalie, who also lives with T1D, discuss the gap between what people need (like insulin access, education on carbs/fat/protein, and psychosocial support) and what they typically receive (a little information and a website).They highlight the critical role of organizations like Blue Circle Health in providing holistic, wraparound support that addresses social determinants of health—going beyond glucose numbers to help with insurance, mental health, and food/housing security. Quiana also shares her research on social vulnerability and the surprising frequency of T1D misdiagnosis among minority and underserved populations. Ultimately, the discussion emphasizes the need for a community approach, recognizing that no single clinician or system can be the "do-all end-all" for T1D management.What You'll LearnWhy the healthcare system struggles to get people with T1D what they need.The essential needs at T1D diagnosis: insulin, psychosocial support, understanding insurance coverage, and education on diet and exercise.How clinicians like Natalie and Quiana meet people with diabetes where they are—sometimes even outside the clinic—to build trust and break down cultural barriers.Why Blue Circle Health is considered a "system breaker" for providing wraparound support beyond glucose numbers.The challenge of misdiagnosis, often due to prejudice or assumptions based on race, age, or weight.The shocking level of judgment and assumptions people with T1D face from others, and even clinicians.Why clinicians must recognize that their system isn't designed to support every need a person with T1D has.Key Quotes"It can feel like we're fighting for our lives in a system built to wear us down. And here's the twist. Your doctors, your clinicians, feel a lot of that same weight as they fight to take care of you." – Scott Johnson "I have to talk to you as if we're equals and we're in this together, and I'm not going to leave you here alone... We're not going to talk at you; we're going to talk with you..." – Quiana Howard "There's no box. If we never had to think about any cost, what would we give to a person with diabetes? And that's what we get with Blue Circle Health." – Natalie Bellini "Blue Circle Health is a health equity model. They break down the systems that often prevent people from achieving the best outcomes when managing their type 1 diabetes." – Quiana Howard Resources & LinksCommunity Partner Spotlight: This episode highlights diatribe, a small nonprofit focused on education and advocacy around T1D, including fighting stigma and raising awareness of Time in Range.🌐 Visit: diatribe.org to learn more and subscribe to their newsletter.What is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?People with type 1 diabetes fight two wars: one against a relentless 24/7 condition, and another against a healthcare system that makes it difficult and expensive to stay alive. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org

If you've ever felt extra stressed and anxious about your diabetes as the holidays approach, you're not alone! The holidays are supposed to be times full of joy and cheer, but they often bring an extra dose of stress and disruption to our T1D routines.In this episode, host Scott Johnson sits down with Eleni Sheehan, a fellow PWD and Advanced Practice Nurse at Blue Circle Health, to talk about the emotional challenges of navigating type 1 diabetes during the holiday season.They dive into why feeling stressed is so common, some typical sources of those feelings, dealing with difficult family members, wrestling with unrealistic expectations, and what you can do if you encounter any "diabetes police."Because you deserve to enjoy the holiday season and feel good about your diabetes management.What You’ll LearnHow normal it is for the holiday season to feel stressfulWhat really makes T1D so much harder to navigate during the holidaysThat we remember what we felt long after the actions we tookOptions for handling people in uncomfortable situationsHow to advocate for ourselves when neededResources for mindfulness and moreKey Quotes“It is a choice. You can decide what is most important to you at that time.” – Eleni Sheehan“I want to feel happy and joyful! And I do... but I also get really stressed out and a bit anxious.” – Scott Johnson"We get the opportunity to celebrate things and spend time with family and friends, but at the same time, it's something that is completely different than what we normally do." – Eleni SheehanResources & Links🌐 Learn more or apply to join: bluecirclehealth.org💬 Follow us on social media: @bluecirclehealth on Instagram and Facebook🧾 Community Partner Spotlight: DiabetesSangha – meditation and mindfulness with the T1D community

In this debut episode, host Scott Johnson, who’s lived with type 1 diabetes for more than 45 years, sits down with Dr. Monica Gomberg, a practicing endocrinologist who left private practice to help re-imagine diabetes care at Blue Circle Health.They explore one bold question:What if we could start over and redesign T1D care from the ground up?Dr. Gomberg explains how Blue Circle Health - a completely free, six-month virtual care, education, and support program funded by the Helmsley Charitable Trust - is transforming access for adults with T1D. From personalized care plans and insurance navigation to mental-health support and prescription-assistance programs, she shares how the team builds care around the person, not just the disease.What You’ll LearnWhy T1D care often fails to meet real-life needs - and how Blue Circle Health is changing thatHow the T1D Support Guide works as your personal point of contactWhat makes a virtual model more flexible than traditional doctor visitsHow Blue Circle Health collaborates with, not replaces, your current care teamDetails on free resources: CGM access, financial assistance, insurance navigation, case managementThe surprising truth about how hard it still is to live with T1D - and what gives Dr. Gomberg hopeKey Quotes“It shouldn’t be this hard to stay alive.” – Dr. Monica Gomberg“Blue Circle Health was created to remove barriers - not add more.”“We built this program by listening to patients first.”Resources & Links🌐 Learn more or apply to join: bluecirclehealth.org💬 Follow us on social media: @bluecirclehealth on Instagram and Facebook🤝 Community Partner Spotlight: The Diabetes Link – resources for young adults (ages 18–30) living with T1D