Australians living with diabetes reflect on the 2026 PSAD

2026 PSAD Axel Hirsch Lived Experience Travel Award winners share their thoughts on the 30th PsychoSocial Aspects of Diabetes (PSAD) Annual Scientific Meeting

By Meaghan Read

The PsychoSocial Aspects of Diabetes (PSAD) Study Group brings together people living with diabetes, researchers, clinicians and partners with a focus on what it’s like to live with diabetes. Members work to improve the wellbeing and care of people affected by diabetes. The 30th PSAD Annual Scientific Meeting was held on 17–19 February in Geelong, Australia. The PSAD Axel Hirsch Travel Award supports people with lived experience of diabetes to attend the annual meeting.  

These awards honour the legacy of Dr Axel Hirsch. Axel was a pioneering clinical psychologist who lived with type 1 diabetes and a founding member of PSAD. He believed that people with diabetes can and should shape their own lives and care, based on their own goals, rather than expert advice only. The Travel Awards keep his legacy alive. They make sure that lived experience voices are present, valued and actively involved in discussions about diabetes research and care. 

The Travel Awards support meaningful exchange. Award recipients are invited to share insights from their daily realities of life with diabetes. PSAD attendees are encouraged to listen, ask questions, and use these insights to strengthen research, practice and policy.  Award recipients also take what they learn at the meeting back to their own communities. This helps extend the reach and impact of the meeting.  These awards send a strong message: lived experience voices aren’t just welcome at PSAD, they’re essential. 

In 2026, the awards were presented to three Australians: Duncan Read ^[1], Susan Abraham ^[2], and Leah Pascoe ^[3]. Congratulations to all three!  

Key Lived Experience Insights from PSAD 2026 

We asked award recipients, Duncan, Susan and Leah, about their experiences of the PSAD meeting.  Here is what they told us:   

1. 1. 1. Lived experience is essential expertise:
         They felt welcomed and respected as lived-experience experts. Their perspectives were actively sought by researchers and clinicians. This reinforced that “people living with diabetes bring knowledge that can’t be learnt from textbooks or data alone”. 
      2. Psychosocial challenges are universal:
         They noticed that the same topics came up throughout the meeting. As an international network, PSAD brings together people from many countries and health systems. Yet, common themes were evident: diabetes burnout, diabetes stigma, identity, and the ongoing emotional load of diabetes were frequently discussed  
      3. Mental health must be central to diabetes care:
         Discussions showed we need care models that focus on emotional wellbeing as well as clinical results. Diabetes, and its management, is not only a physical challenge but also a mental and emotional one. Lived experience experts stressed that psychological support should be introduced into diabetes care from diagnosis, not just when problems arise. 
      4. Beyond the numbers:
         PSAD takes a holistic focus. While clinical measures such as HbA1c and time-in-range are important, an excessive focus on numbers can lead to feelings of judgement, and pressure to achieve “perfection”. A balanced approach that considers quality of life and emotional wellbeing is needed. 
      5. Equity and access shape outcomes:
         Conversations with local and international participants attendees highlighted differences in diabetes care. In some settings, families face impossible choices between buying insulin and meeting basic needs. Cultural also shapes how diabetes information and support are delivered and understood. These stories were a powerful reminder that diabetes care isn’t just a health issue, it’s an equity issue. Everyone deserves the chance to live well with diabetes, no matter where they live or what resources they have. 
      6. Strengths and resilience can emerge from living with diabetes: 
         Research often focuses on challenges of diabetes. Lived experience experts reminded us to pay attention to positive wellbeing ^[4].  Managing diabetes can build strengths. These include resilience, problem-solving skills, and health literacy. Diabetes research and care can strive beyond reducing distress towards supporting people to achieve positive wellbeing. 
      7. The power of community and connection:
         PSAD embeds lived experience throughout the program. For example, the event was opened by keynote speaker, Renza Scibilia ^[5]. She reminded us that diabetes care should start from the perspective of the person living with the condition. Many attendees also incorporated their lived experience into presentations and discussions. Duncan, Susan and Leah said that the conference created a rare opportunity to connect with others who share lived experience and a passion for improving care. These connections fostered collaboration, learning and future research. 

 
Duncan, Susan and Leah shared their thanks for the opportunity to attend the PSAD, and for the warm welcome into the PSAD community.  They recognised the efforts of researchers, clinicians, and advocates who are working to meaningfully involve people with lived experience to improve diabetes care and research: 

 “To every researcher who includes “lived” and “loved” experience in their work. To every clinician who asks, “What matters to you?” instead of “What’s the matter with you?”. To every advocate demanding people with diabetes sit at decision-making tables.” 

From everyone at the ACBRD, we thank Duncan, Susan, and Leah for their contributions to the PSAD and to diabetes advocacy here in Australia. 

Follow ACBRD ^[6], PSAD ^[7] and #dedoc voices ^[8] to hear about future lived experience conference scholarship opportunities.   

You can read more about the 2026 and past PSAD conferences here ^[9].