The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting has been its usual busy self and I have lots to write. But today, let’s look at some pictures…

Actually, let’s just look at one.

So, allow me to share a little secret. I have found that coffee at conferences is hit and miss. But Lilly usually has the best coffee. This assertion is made after attending many conferences for a number of years…and drinking a lot of coffee. A. Lot. So on Tuesday morning, I made a bee line to the Lilly stand to grab what I assumed would be the first of many coffees for the day.

I marched with purpose to the stand. And suddenly stopped short. Because there in huge, huge writing, hanging high above where the coffee queue would be, was this:

I usually have a lot to say. But as I stared at this sign, I had no words. There was a lot of ‘Wait. What? Huh? Hang on…What does that say?’  And then ‘What the fuck were they thinking?’ But I had no thoughts that made any real sense. (And I couldn’t even blame jet lag for the inability to form a cohesive sentence – I’d been in Europe for two weeks already.)

Of course, I ignored the not-in-any-way-policed policy forbidding the taking of photos in the expo area and snapped a picture, posting it straight to Twitter. Because of course I did. (And to Facebook and Insta later on!) The response was swift, and as horrified as my own.

I have not been able to stop thinking about this sign. For the whole of the conference, every time I have wandered through the Exhibition Hall, I have tried to avoid the Lilly area (I found other places to get coffee), and yet I have not been able to escape it because it is so huge. No matter how much I try to avert my eyes, I keep catching it.

I did speak with someone about it eventually. I found someone at the stand and I asked them about their messaging. ‘There aren’t people with diabetes here,’ was the first (predictable) comment. I pointed out that wasn’t true. That just casting my eyes around the room at that particular moment in the vicinity of where we were standing, I could see half a dozen PWD that I knew, and I would assume there were others I did not.

But, I explained, that’s not the point. I know that this is a health professional conference. It is not aimed at PWD. But actually, that is irrelevant. Because the messaging and language that is used when speaking about people with diabetes should be the same as the messaging and language used when speaking to people with diabetes.

I don’t know why this is such a confusing concept to grasp. It is the same as when I hear HCPs say ‘Oh, we wouldn’t use that language/those words in front of PWD.’ Here’s an idea: Don’t use that language/those words at all!

There is a lot to be said about raising awareness of the links between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Australia recently had a campaign called ‘Take Diabetes 2 Heart’ doing just that by highlighting the how people with diabetes can take care of their heart health. (And I’ll remind everyone that I work for Diabetes Australia, however have not had any involvement in this project, nor have been asked to promote it.) 

But the messaging in this Lilly campaign is horrific.

I would love to know the process that occurred before this was approved. I am sure that a marketing company was contracted to do this work. Several different story board ideas would have been presented. How is it possible that as soon as this one was shown, it was not immediately shut down…with an explanation of why it is not appropriate?

I sighed as I walked away from the stand. I know that language is an issue at EASD – probably more so than at any other diabetes conference. I have come to expect that. In fact, I sent out a pre-emptive tweet the morning the conference starting, urging those speaking and writing about diabetes to be considerate in their choice of language, and linking to the Diabetes Australia Language Position Statement.

Before I sent the tweet, I hesitated, wondering if it was really necessary for me to tweet that. Clearly, it was.

This time, it was Lilly. Next time it will probably be someone else. My message to these companies is to please, please do better. Think about how this messaging would impact a person living with diabetes. Because behind those stats; behind the risk factors; behind the numbers…we are people. And we want to know how to be well; how to be healthy. Not terrified into inaction.

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DISCLOSURE

Roche Diabetes Care (Global) covered my (economy) travel and accommodation costs to attend their #DiabetesMeetup Blogger event at #EASD2018 and present at their media event the day before EASD. Roche Diabetes Care also assisted with providing me press registration to attend all areas of the EASD meeting. As always, my agreement to attend their blogger day does not include any commitment from me, or expectation from them, to write about the company, the events or their products.