Visit our website www.connectsolidarity.eu to know more about
how to donate and support people living with diabetes in Ukraine.

IDF Europe is the European chapter of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). We are an umbrella organization representing 70 national diabetes organisations in 44 countries across Europe. We are a diverse and inclusive multicultural network of national diabetes associations, representing both people living with diabetes and healthcare professionals.

Our vision is to improve the lives of people with diabetes and our mission, in Europe, is to unite the voice of people with diabetes and to engage all stakeholders in creating a person-centered diabetes ecosystem.

Our priority objectives are:
- Improving access to care and quality of life for people with diabetes
- Increasing the voice of people with diabetes on all levels (#nothingAboutUsWithoutUs)
- Reducing diabetes incidence and preventing complications.

According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, an estimated 61 million adults (20-79 years) were living with diabetes in the IDF Europe Region in 2021. The Region has the highest number of children and adolescents (0-19 years) with type 1 diabetes – 295,000 in total.

Although no population group is immune to it, and diabetes is a group of diseases, whose onset involves different mechanisms, it is often misunderstood by the general public, healthcare professionals and policymakers. This affects not only the care received by people living with diabetes but also the attention the disease is given by national and pan-European decision-makers. It also fosters stigma and discrimination and hinders effective campaigns to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and complications.

Through our activities, we aim to increase awareness, promote the exchange of best practices and high-quality information about diabetes, and to influence policy. Of key importance is the realisation that diabetes is a serious disease and that people with diabetes can only live a long and healthy life through their own self-management and adequate support. It is also critical to understand that the diabetes curve can only be flattened by the creation of health-enabling environments, addressing the determinants of health, and the promotion of early action by healthcare systems including a shift in focus to prevention rather than treatment.