Monza, 15 November (askanews) – On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, celebrated every November 14, the #BlueBalloonChallenge was initiated, an international campaign promoted by Medtronic Diabetes, to raise awareness of living with type 1 diabetes and fight the stigma associated with this disease.
Every year the hot air balloon stops in one of the countries in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and this year it is Italy’s turn. A hot air balloon, representing a giant blue balloon, flies over the gardens at the former Mirabello Race Course, acting as a powerful visual symbol to attract public attention, and highlight the balance required in managing diabetes, encouraging greater understanding and awareness of the disease. Alberto Andolina, vice president of European marketing at Medtronic, talks about it like this: “An initiative that we have been launching for 5 years, this is its fifth edition, and which somehow creates a parallel between living with diabetes and constantly keeping the blue balloon always in the air. This year we are giving all our attention to the parents of children with type 1 diabetes”.
“Another initiative that Medtronic participates in, which aims to increase public awareness is Unstoppable, which is a project aimed at primary and secondary schools, which provides training materials for teachers who want to explain in simple words, to children and adolescents, what diabetes is. Another initiative sponsored and supported by Medtronic is Diabetable. We talk to institutions and those who make decisions in the field of healthcare to facilitate as much as possible equal access to technology” added Daniela Simonte, Marketing Director Diabetes OU Italia. Greece and Israel.
The 2025 edition is dedicated to parents, who provide emotional and real support every day, so that children with diabetes can live as normal a life as possible. Managing this chronic pathology requires attention and resilience, especially for the little ones. Worldwide, around 9.5 million people live with type 1 diabetes, including around 1.2 million children and teenagers under 19, while in Italy the disease affects around 300,000 people. Patient Carla Corvino speaks like this: “I have had diabetes for 22 years and daily life is undoubtedly a little complicated, but completely manageable thanks to technology in recent years. Moreover, let’s say that even those with type 1 diabetes can live all the experiences and activities that everyone else does, including parties, dinners, entertainment, sports, everything.”
The 2025 edition of the #BlueBalloonChallenge is growing and is also marked by its commitment to environmental sustainability. In fact, Medtronic has adopted balloons made from biodegradable materials and low-impact solutions, as a continuation of good practices introduced in previous years.
