At the high-level event on 4 November, the focus was on how early detection and a better understanding of type 1 diabetes (T1D) before it is clinically diagnosed, can pave the way for more personalized treatments. The event also highlighted how strengthening the EU life science ecosystem and clinical research can give people living with T1D and their families the best possible opportunities for the future.
An essential part of the program were the moving personal stories about what it means to live with T1D – and how undetected disease can lead to a complicated and traumatic onset. Thank you to Jurgen Vercauteren for moderating a talk with many strong stories, including from MEP Niels Flemming Hansen, who shared his own experience of being diagnosed, as well as Maria Hartmann Tørnes and her daughter, who travelled to Brussels to speak about the challenges of living well with type 1 diabetes, even within a strong healthcare system like the one in Denmark.
DiaUnion was proud to be on the agenda with Finn Stensbjerg Kristensen presenting how 107,700 are suffering from T1D in Denmark and Sweden alone, with an estimated annual societal cost of EUR 1.7 billion!
Up until today close to 7,000 children and young adults have taken part in DiaUnion’s early detection programs and the ultimate goal is to establish national programs in close collaboration with all our partners – especially the new Alliance for early detection (Alliancen for T1Dlig Opsporing).
The event also made it clear that strong European collaboration is essential. Countries such as Italy, Belgium, and Germany are already taking important steps toward developing early detection programs – thank you to Emanuele Bosi for presenting the Italian learnings.
A big thank you to co-chairs Chantal Mathieu, Stine Bosse, Romana Jerković, and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2025 for hosting, and to the European Diabetes Forum (EUDF) and EDENT1FI for organizing the event – and for helping to build hope that together, we can improve lives and create new possibilities for people with T1D across Europe!
More info from the event:
🎦 Video from the European Diabetes Forum (3 min)
🔗 Europe’s moment to lead on Type 1 Diabetes Early Detection
