Originally reported and written in 2023. 

The positivity shines through like a beacon. It is as if Jazz Sethi has vowed that she will triumph over Type 1 Diabetes, a condition she was diagnosed with when she was 13 years old. And she is determined to help other children and youngsters with the condition lead better lives.

The 31-year-old professional dancer, choreographer, theatre artist and author based in Ahmedabad is the founder-director of the Diabesties Foundation, set up in 2018. Diabesties is a not-for-profit that aims to make people with Type 1 Diabetes (formerly called Juvenile Diabetes) feel heard, understood, loved, supported and celebrated.

What started as a YouTube channel and regular meet-ups of persons with Type 1 Diabetes has turned into a multi-pronged programme with awareness tours, educational material, one-on-one sessions, advocacy and access.

The daughter of billiards legend Geet Sethi and prominent educationist Kiran Bir Sethi, Jazz says she is privileged that she can use technology to make her life much easier and be in the best possible health. “I have an insulin pump and a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) attached to my body. They work in tandem to regulate insulin delivery. However, while technology is the way forward for Type 1 diabetics, access and affordability to such devices are a serious problem,” she says.

Reflecting on life with Type 1 Diabetes, Jazz says, “What is needed for a good quality of life is not just knowing how to stay alive, but how to live — and thrive — with Type 1 Diabetes.”

The day a sudden diagnosis changed her life

Jazz relates her own experience of being diagnosed.

“I was 13 years old. We were preparing for a football tournament at school. In one week, I lost 7 kg. I was also drinking a lot of water. My parents were alarmed at my sudden weight loss and took me to our family doctor. He suggested blood and urine tests. When our doctor got the results, he told my parents to rush me to the hospital. My sugar was 1050 mg/dL, which is extremely high. I was in the ICU for three days.”

“Somehow, I was naive enough at 13 to believe that once I was out of hospital, I would be cured. It came as a jolt to me when the doctor told me that I had Type 1 Diabetes, an incurable autoimmune condition and that I would be on insulin for life. Our family was in a state of shock,” says Jazz.

Two things struck Jazz. One, she felt the absence of information about her condition suitable for children. Two, she did not meet another person with Type 1 Diabetes for many years after her diagnosis.

To address the gap in information, she decided to start a peppy YouTube channel to build awareness about Type 1 Diabetes in a fun and engaging........

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