Backgrounder
Young Voices – Life with Diabetes
Young Voices: Life with Diabetes is a collection of eight stories about the lives of 13 young people around the world.
By going beyond their ‘disease stories’ and into their ‘real stories’, the book inspires people with diabetes to find their own personal will to live a full life with – and in spite of – their diabetes.
The book looks at diabetes through the fresh eyes of children and young people, because through their eyes, we can see, understand and ultimately impact the future of diabetes – the future of these children.
About the stories
The 13 youths featured in the book have one thing in common – they all have diabetes. Some of them were born with this lifelong, chronic condition. A few of them had the ill fortune to live a lifestyle that prompted it. As individuals, they are very different. They come from eight countries on four continents and represent different cultures, backgrounds and age groups. Some are battling ignorance and poverty – others have access to the most advanced medical technology.
About the process
In October of 2004, Hala Khalaf, the author of Young Voices, and Jesper Westley, the photographer, embarked on a journey to identify, meet and ultimately capture the lives of young people living with diabetes around the world.
Their adventure started in Jordan, where they met with Deeb Kameel Ghnnma, a 22-year-old with type 2 diabetes. Hala and Jesper then travelled to Denmark, the United States, Thailand, Mexico, Tanzania, the United Kingdom and finally to Russia. The two-month expedition ended on 17 December 2004.
About the author
The book is narrated by Hala Khalaf and brought to life visually by the photography of Jesper Westley.
Hala is a freelance journalist who has been a volunteer teacher in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon and who spends her free time teaching music to children. She currently writes about daily life in Jordan.
In 2004, Hala was awarded the Novo Nordisk Media Prize for her article about the daily lives of Jordanians living with diabetes. After meeting with Hala, the people at Novo Nordisk felt she would be the best person to capture the unique stories of these children.
Hala travelled the world to spend time with each of the 13 profiled youths, learning how each lives and copes with his or her diabetes.
About the book
Young Voices: Life with Diabetes was supported by Novo Nordisk, which has a stated ambition to lead the fight against diabetes and to ultimately defeat diabetes.
The people at Novo Nordisk wanted to move beyond the science that treats diabetes and do something to impact the lives of those living with diabetes. The book is intended to inspire the way people with diabetes, their families, healthcare professionals and health policy makers think about diabetes as a disease, and people with diabetes as patients.
The proceeds from the sales of the book will go to the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) to help children with special needs live a full life with diabetes.
The book is published in association with John Wiley & Sons Ltd and will be available for 14.99 British pounds (28.95 US dollars). The book is available on Amazon.com and Wiley.com.
