Mattel Releases a Barbie with Diabetes and an Insulin Pump

by Andrea Smith, grade 6

Living with Type 1 diabetes can be a hard thing for a kid to grasp. They may not know what an insulin pump or a glucose monitor is, and may think that making countless trips to the doctor for blood sugar readings is normal. Being able to tell the story of Type 1 diabetes and explain it through a widely known toy can help kids understand what they are going through, and Barbie dolls can do this.

Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age. It occurs when the pancreas cannot produce insulin, which can lead to complications involving highs and lows in blood sugar, damage to the kidneys, nerves, eyes, and heart, and even death. People with Type 1 diabetes have to take insulin by injection or infusion from a pump that responds to changes in blood glucose readings through continuous glucose monitoring. This condition impacts over 9 million people, and there is currently no cure.

The Barbie dolls are becoming more inclusive now with a Type 1 diabetes Barbie doll. She wears a pink insulin pump and a CGM, held in place with pink, heart-shaped medical tape. Mattel worked with Breakthrough T1D, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the world's second-largest funder of diabetes research, to develop the toy. The doll sells for $10.99 and is now available at Mattel Shop and retailers nationwide.

Mattel has made Barbies with other medical needs or conditions, such as hearing aids, a prosthetic leg, a cane for the blind, and a bald head from chemotherapy. Now, this Type 1 diabetes doll joins them in spreading awareness and inclusivity around the world.

[Sources: Breakthrough T1D; Mattel]