Empowering Diabetes Care in South Africa: A Conversation with Shiara Pillay of Sweet Life

The Sweet Life Diabetes Community is Africa’s largest online diabetes platform and a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering people living with diabetes. Through education, advocacy, and connection, Sweet Life continues to change the way South Africans understand and manage this chronic condition.

At the heart of this work is Shiara Pillay, Project Manager at Sweet Life, whose journey combines professional expertise with deeply personal experience. With an Honours degree in Development Studies and more than two decades of living with type 1 diabetes, Shiara brings authenticity, empathy, and insight to everything she does.

COURTESY: Facebook - South Africans With Diabetes

We explore her story, her work, and her vision for a future where diabetes in South Africa is better understood, better managed, and free from stigma.

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

Shiara was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before her 10th birthday—over 20 years ago.

“It was overwhelming,” she recalls. “There was so much information I didn’t know and had to learn very quickly—new ways of eating, thinking, and living.”

At such a young age, her family played a crucial role in helping her understand diabetes and begin the journey of self-management. Like many families, they initially missed the early warning signs, unfamiliar with the symptoms of diabetes. Eventually, a visit to the doctor brought clarity—and a diagnosis that would shape her life in profound ways.

Where Diabetes and Development Intersect

With a background in development studies, Shiaura sees diabetes not just as a medical condition, but as a social and systemic issue.

“Much of diabetes management falls on the individual,” she explains. “But our ability to manage it is deeply influenced by systems—healthcare, food systems, social attitudes, and stigma.”

She highlights how misinformation and stigma continue to affect people living with diabetes in South Africa. Simple person-to-person interactions, she believes, can either reinforce harmful myths or empower someone to take charge of their health.

“At the core, it starts with seeing the person as human first. Then asking: how can our systems better support them?”

How the Diabetes Landscape Has Changed

Over the past two decades, Shiara has witnessed significant changes in diabetes care—from improved medical knowledge to evolving management tools. But she notes that progress is uneven.

“Management looks different for everyone,” she says. “Each person lives a different life, so sustainability and confidence in your own care plan are key.”

True progress, she believes, comes when people feel ownership over their diabetes—when management strategies are adaptable, personal, and realistic over the long term.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving

Living with type 1 diabetes requires constant decision-making, awareness, and resilience. For Shiara, one of the most powerful tools in thriving has been community.

Sweet Life has built Africa’s largest online diabetes community by creating spaces where people can connect, ask questions, and share experiences—both digitally and in person. From social media conversations to print and digital resources, Sweet Life meets people where they are.

“Community normalises the experience,” Shiara says. “Transparent conversations help people realise they’re not alone.”

This approach also recognises that education must be accessible in multiple formats—print, digital, and face-to-face—to truly reach diverse communities across the country.

Balancing Work and Diabetes

As Project Manager at Sweet Life, Shiara balances professional responsibilities with managing her own diabetes—often simultaneously.

“I’m fortunate to work in an environment where diabetes is understood,” she shares. “If my blood sugar is low or high, it’s not stigmatised—it’s just part of life.”

She stresses that while not every workplace will include someone with diabetes, awareness and empathy can make a significant difference. Small jokes or casual comments can unintentionally hurt, highlighting the need for education and sensitivity in all spaces.

Education, Partnerships, and Real Impact

Sweet Life focuses on foundational diabetes education that is simple, practical, and easy to understand. One standout initiative involved distributing 100 community boxes across the country—each designed to help individuals host their own diabetes awareness events and spark conversations locally.

“These partnerships create a ripple effect,” Shiara explains. “They empower people to educate others in their own communities.”

The Gaps in Diabetes Education

Despite progress, significant gaps remain. One of the biggest, according to Shiara, is the absence of a national diabetes programme in South Africa.

“A baseline national understanding of diabetes would reduce stigma and improve early diagnosis,” she says. “Healthcare practitioners also need ongoing training to recognise symptoms and stay up to date.”

Without consistent national education and policy, many people continue to fall through the cracks.

Advocating for Change

Sweet Life’s vision—a South Africa where diabetes is a well-managed condition—is ambitious but necessary.

Key steps include: A national diabetes programme; Stronger policy implementation; Government collaboration grounded in lived experience

Shiara highlights a major advocacy milestone: a petition with over 8,000 signatures calling for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) access for all children under 18 with type 1 diabetes in the public sector. The petition was accepted and acknowledged by government—a crucial first step toward equitable care.

Turning Experience into Advocacy

For those living with diabetes who want to create change, Shiara’s advice is simple but powerful:

“Connect. Find community. Share your experience with people who are willing to listen—and with those who have the power to act.”

Advocacy doesn’t always start on a national stage. It can begin in workplaces, clinics, schools, or online spaces—and grow through collaboration with organisations like Sweet Life.

Hope for the Future

Looking ahead, Shiara is hopeful about deeper empowerment, stronger partnerships, and more standardised care across South Africa.

“Diabetes is one condition, but it affects every part of daily life,” she says. “Normalising those experiences—and treating people as partners in care—is essential.”

Learn More About Sweet Life

To learn more or get involved:

Facebook & Instagram: Sweet Life Diabetes Community

Website: www.sweetlife.org.za

The Sweet Life website functions like a “diabetes Wikipedia,” offering searchable, reliable information on a wide range of diabetes-related topics for everyone—from newly diagnosed individuals to caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Shiara Pillay’s journey reminds us that meaningful change happens when lived experience meets education, empathy, and action. Through Sweet Life, she continues to help thousands of South Africans navigate diabetes—not alone, but together.

 

Done By: Mitchum George