Goedendag from the Children with Diabetes team! We’ve just returned from the 18th International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) in Amsterdam. At ATTD, we surrounded ourselves with innovation, novelties, and advancements in diabetes treatment and technology. We discovered the latest in worldwide research, devices, and new developments in the diabetes field. And … we ate a lot of Dutch cheese! So, grab your café latte and windbreaker, and join us for a recap on ATTD 2025.
The CWD team packed our bags and headed for the 18th International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At ATTD, clinicians, diabetes care providers, researchers, industries, startups, investors, and regulators convened with the shared aim of enhancing diabetes care at an accelerated pace. The conference featured presentations and discussions led by esteemed professionals in the field, covering a diverse range of topics, including artificial intelligence-driven decision support systems, glucose sensors, closed-loop systems, artificial pancreas technology, screening, intervention, and prevention of type 1 diabetes, preventive devices for diabetes, new medications, innovative insulin delivery systems and much more. The core objective for ATTD is to spotlight pioneering technologies and therapies for diabetes management, fostering collaboration among technology developers, diabetes care professionals, researchers, industries, and individuals living with diabetes.
Colleagues from across the globe convene to exchange insights and disseminate the latest advancements in the field of diabetes. The audience ranges from various fields of expertise, including clinicians from the field of diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism, pediatricians and family medicine practitioners, as well as diabetes technology developers. Attendees come from all over the world, from the academic field to primary care institutions. As part of its commitment to advancing diabetes treatment solutions, ATTD hosts the International Fair of New Technologies. It provides a platform for startup ventures focused on diabetes-related technologies to showcase their innovations, foster development, and establish valuable connections. Another important activity of the ATTD is publishing the annual ATTD Yearbook, featuring a critical assessment of significant articles on new diabetes therapies and technologies from the world’s leading medical journals selected and reviewed by experts in the field. In addition to the in-person offerings in Amsterdam, the ATTD Education Portal UNLOK offers an opportunity to view e-posters, webcasts, and abstracts from all ATTD conferences. This portal facilitates interactive forums and webinars throughout the year to help bridge the gap between the ATTD annual gatherings.
This year at ATTD, Children with Diabetes and the Global Diabetes Advocacy Network hosted a recognition luncheon for “Journey of a Life Well Lived.” This luncheon celebrated individuals who have achieved a milestone in their journey of living daily with the challenges of diabetes. The luncheon was held at the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam. During this special event, CWD President Jeff Hitchcock shared the mission of Children with Diabetes and helped the audience learn more about CWD as a global resource for support, education, and inspiration for people living with diabetes. GDAN Chair Stewart Perry helped to further their organization’s mission by explaining that we can create a global network that unites all people with diabetes (including caregivers, advocates, and policymakers) so that information can be shared more widely. Policy changes can be made meaningfully to support those living with diabetes. At the luncheon, CWD presented Journey Awards to individuals living with diabetes for 10, 25, 50, or 75 years. This beautiful event will live long in the hearts of those who attended and received this special recognition of a life well lived with diabetes.
CWD Events hosted a luncheon at the Hotel Okura titled “Children with Diabetes: A Look Back at 2024.” This event provided a recap of CWD Events and Conferences from 2024. Attendees learned more about CWD’s mission and the outreach and education we provide daily to individuals living with type 1 diabetes. Guests received our signature CWD Smiley Pin, and many attendees also received a Journey Award, which recognizes their personal accomplishments in managing diabetes. We enjoyed sharing the past year with our guests and look forward to creating many new memories in 2025 to include in next year’s recap.
On Friday, March 21, 2025, CWD hosted the 4th Annual CWD President’s Award for Innovation Dinner and Award Presentation. This exclusive, invitation-only event was one of the highlights of this year’s conference. We honored Professor Chantal Mathieu, Professor of Medicine at the Katholieke University and Chair of Endocrinology at the University Hospital Gesthuisberg in Leuven, Belgium. Professor Mathieu is a physician-scientist who has contributed to the field of diabetes and endocrinology through basic and clinical research. Her basic research focuses on pathogenesis and prevention of type 1 diabetes, and her clinical work involves new products and treatment paradigms in diabetes, such as new insulins and adjunct therapies. Professor Mathieu is the President of EASD and the Vice President of the European Diabetes Forum. CWD provides special thanks to our partners, Dexcom, Inc., Sanofi, and MannKind, for their invaluable support for this very special evening.
As we packed our bags and prepared to return to the United States, our camera rolls were full of happy memories, and our calendars were even more full of meetings to continue the valuable conversations that we started in Amsterdam. ATTD is one of our favorite events of the year, and this year’s congress was such a joyful time spent with our great big global diabetes family. Until Barcelona, tot ziens!
Green and Orange Forever,
Leigh
