About our peer support program
Breakthrough T1D’s peer support program is a free volunteer network that connects people who have been affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Whether you, your child or another family member have received a T1D diagnosis, being connected with a peer support mentor will give you the opportunity to talk to someone who has been there, and who can offer lots of practical tips and advice.
This program is for:
- parents/carers of children and teens living with T1D, and
- adults living with T1D.
You can talk via text, email, over the phone or in person. It could be a few times a year, once a month or once every couple of weeks – whatever works for you both. Every peer support pairing is different!
It’s important to note that while mentors offer support, they can’t provide any medical advice. Please reach out to your diabetes team if needed.
To be put in touch with a mentor, fill out the form below.
If you’d like learn more about becoming a mentor yourself, read our FAQs and apply to join our team of volunteers.
What will I talk about with my mentor?
Your mentor understands life with T1D, and can offer a friendly ear to remind you that you’re not alone.
As for what you’ll discuss, it’s entirely up to you and your mentor. It could include:
- you asking for advice on tackling tricky T1D situations
- them sharing tips and tricks that have worked for them
- hearing about what life looks like for someone who’s further along their T1D journey than you.
Who are the mentors?
Our peer support mentors are volunteers who live all around Australia. They receive training from the team at Breakthrough T1D, but please remember that they’re not mental health or medical professionals – they’re just members of the community who are keen to help support others.
We try to match our program members with mentors who have similar situations (for example, we’ll try to get a close match when it comes to location, age of diagnosis, age of children, or any other health conditions).
A helping hand from someone who understands
“Kindred spirits are very hard to come by, but you can find one through Breakthrough T1D. It will make a world of difference knowing that there is someone out there who knows exactly what you’re going through.”
– Yvette, mother of Sienna, diagnosed at age 2
