MUMBAI: Kiara Powar – an 18-year-old content creator has launched a campaign titled #InsulinSeMatDaro. The campaign will coincide with National Diabetes Month in November and World Diabetes Day (14 November, 2024) and draws from the theme of Diabetes and Well-being, as declared by the International Diabetes Federation.
Through the course of National Diabetes Month, Kiara will share insights from her conversations with Padma Shri Dr Shashank Joshi, who is president of The Indian Academy of Diabetes, and Luke Coutinho, a an integrative lifestyle expert. The discussions will be themed around the physical, emotional and social ramifications of diabetes, and present timely information to aid those diagnosed as well as their caregivers. In addition to raising awareness about diabetes, she will also emphasise the importance of insulin in a diabetic’s journey from debunking misconceptions about using insulin, a lifesaving drug, to doing her bit to ensure that the availability of diabetes medication is equitable to all, across socio-economic barriers.
This has inspired her campaign, #InsulinSeMatDaro, which seeks to address the challenges with availing timely treatment, and the disparities in the availability of diabetes care. A believer in affirmative action and cognisant of the substantial costs associated with diabetes care, she is also planning a crowdfunding drive to make available subsidised medication to those who cannot afford it.
“When it comes to Type 2 diabetes, a contemporary, facts-based and lifestyle-oriented approach can not only make management simpler, but also contributes to overall physical and mental wellbeing. The healthcare ecosystem is making significant strides to better understand the causative factors and offer timely, supportive solutions to make diabetes care easier and more effective. Type 1 diabetics need insulin throughout their lifetime, as well as lifestyle modulation. There’s where Kiara’s campaign is a timely push to urge people to take control of their own health whether or not they have been diagnosed with diabetes and to make the necessary lifestyle changes that will contribute to an enhanced quality of life,” said Dr. Joshi.
“I am so proud of Kiara for dedicating her platform and voice to spread awareness about diabetes, the burden of which is being felt by India and even the world, at large. By diving deep into the causative factors, as well as the role of a holistic, lifestyle-based approach to diabetes care, this campaign can be transformative for so many millions of diabetics and pre-diabetics. Information is empowerment, and her campaign and relentless efforts are certain to empower and transform lives,” said Coutinho.
“Living with diabetes since the age of 2, I have witnessed first-hand the numerous challenges starting with accurate diagnosis, to a supportive social ecosystem, to receiving the necessary information to safeguard my physical and mental wellbeing. Although I was fortunate to have a very supportive family, I recognise that many others may not have the access or resources that I did. This is my endeavour to pay it forward and to help make the journey a bit easier and less fearful for diabetics,” Powar said.
The campaign will go live on Kiara Powar’s Instagram and Youtube platforms.
