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Diabetes Peer Support
Peer Support is my Passion.
I remember what it was like to feel like I was the only person I knew with type 1 diabetes: it was so lonely and isolating. But this all change for me in 2007 when I realised the power and value of meeting and learning from others living with diabetes, who truly understood the day-to-day realities of life with diabetes. That experience shaped everything that followed.
Local Peer Support
Clare Type 1 Diabetes Meetups
In 2007, Peggy and I established a local diabetes support groups in Clare to create a space where people with diabetes could meet, share experiences, and learn about local services and supports. Over time, the group has grown into a diverse and welcoming community of people of all ages and diabetes types.
We meet regularly in Ennis and focus on what matters most: shared lived experience. Through open discussion, story-sharing, and practical information exchange, members support and motivate one another to live well with diabetes. Our group meets five times a year and continues to be a trusted local resource for connection and support.
Online & Ongoing Support
Diabetes Support Near You
Because large in-person events happen infrequently, I also developed and maintain a central list of diabetes peer support groups across Ireland—both in-person and online—to help people find connection year-round. These groups are primarily closed, peer-led spaces where people can safely share experiences, seek advice, and support one another.
Together, these local, national, and online initiatives reflect my belief that peer support is one of the most powerful tools we have for reducing isolation, building confidence, and improving quality of life for people living with diabetes.
Find out more about Diabetes Support in your area https://thriveabetes.ie/diabetes-support-groups.
National Peer Support
Thriveabetes Type 1 Diabetes Conference & Community
In 2015, this commitment to peer connection expanded nationally with the launch of Thriveabetes. Thriveabetes is founded by Christine Meehan, Rebecca Brannon and me. The first conference brought together nearly 100 adults living with Type 1 diabetes and parents of children with Type 1 diabetes—many meeting someone else with the condition for the first time.
Thriveabetes is Ireland’s only peer-led Type 1 diabetes conference, designed and delivered by people living with Type 1 diabetes, for people living with it. The focus has always been on the emotional and practical challenges of diabetes, creating space for honest conversation, mutual learning, and community building. Since 2015, Thriveabetes has continued to grow as both an in-person event and a wider peer community, you can visit us at www.thriveabetes.ie