“Why I’m rocking my diabetes tech — and feel so proud of it!”

Jasmine Jaffar

Content creator & FreeStyle Libre Ambassador

Diabetes doesn’t need to have a detrimental effect on your body positivity. The secret is to view it in a different, empowering way.

When she was 12, content creator Jasmine Jaffar discovered she had type 1 diabetes — a diagnosis she found overwhelming at first. “I thought: This is out of my control, and I can’t change it. But I do have control over how I think about it.” So, she began to view her diabetes in a more positive and empowering way.

Life-changing way to monitor glucose

Nowadays, Jasmine, 25, posts regularly about thriving with diabetes and emotional wellbeing. She’s also a passionate advocate for body positivity and proudly displays the glucose monitoring sensor attached to the back of her upper arm.

Jasmine scans it with her mobile phone to get an accurate reading of her current glucose levels. If these are too high or too low, she can then take steps to get them back in range. “When I was first diagnosed, I’d finger-prick to test my glucose levels, which meant it was hard to be flexible and proactive with my management,” she says. “When I was introduced to this tech, I thought: This is life-changing. It truly transformed my diabetes management.”

Embracing your diabetes

Jasmine is aware that type 1 diabetes can impact self-image and body positivity.

“That sensor on your arm makes an invisible condition visible to others,” she admits. “But when you embrace your diabetes, it can be so empowering. It’s not something that should be hidden, because it’s part of you and enables you to be your most authentic self. I feel as though the technology I wear is a symbol of my experiences. It has taught me about my body and my health. I’m rocking it — and I feel proud of it!”

The technology I wear is a symbol of my experiences. It has taught me about my body and my health.

A freeing experience

Jasmine reflects a positive attitude in her social media posts. “People tell me that coming across my platforms has given them hope that they can still thrive with diabetes, or how comforting it is to see positive energy around it. That means so much to me because I want people to feel empowered with their diabetes.”

Jasmine doesn’t want to downplay the condition. “Diabetes can be hard, and there will be challenging times,” she says. “But if you embrace it, you can live a beautiful, happy, healthy life. And if one person sees my posts and thinks: ‘Right — I am going to wear that dress, even if my sensor is showing!’ then that’s a huge win for them…and me.”