Ep 9: Gareth Squance - A father's response to Type 1: grief, data and hope

In this episode of The Long View – Living with Type 1 Diabetes, I’m talking to Gareth Squance, whose daughter Amelie was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes just two months before we recorded.Gareth describes himself as a problem‑solver. And when Amelie was diagnosed aged 15, the family found themselves in an intense time of learning, grief, data overload and emotional adjustment. In this honest conversation, Gareth shares what those early weeks were really like, from the shock of diagnosis to finding ways to support his daughter without letting diabetes define her.This episode is a little different, as Gareth also turns the questions on me. We talk about the differences between a brand‑new diagnosis and living with Type 1 for 50 years and what both parents and young people need most in the early stages.We also talk about Project Amelie, a system Gareth built to bring together diabetes data, communication with clinical teams and emotional support. And why “letting yourself feel it” might be some of the most important advice of all.In this episode:A parent’s perspective on a sudden Type 1 diagnosisThe emotional rollercoaster of the early weeksGrief, data overload and learning hour by hourSupporting a teenager without letting diabetes become her identityUsing technology to simplify communication and careHope, uncertainty and looking aheadAs always, this podcast does not offer medical advice. Please speak to your healthcare team before making any changes.