About SA Diabetes Advocacy
SA Diabetes Advocacy is a non-profit organisation uniting all the organisations of people with diabetes in South Africa. These include:
- Bete It
- Diabetes South Africa
- Kids Powered by Insulin
- Sweet Life Diabetes Community
- YT1
- Youth With Diabetes
The SA Diabetes Advocacy Board consists of a representative from each of these organisations, as well as allied diabetes advocacy organisations.
Meet the SA Diabetes Advocacy Board
Yuvanya Naidoo
Yuvanya Naidoo is a Life actuary, aspiring philanthropist, football fanatic, theatre loving, classic literature reading Type 1 using a pump and CGM to navigate the highs and lows of Type 1 diabetes. She is the co-founder of Bete It, an NPO supporting and advocating for people with Type 1 diabetes
Pitsi Dipela
Pitsi Dipela is a qualified dietician who is passionate about improving the quality of life of people living with diabetes, through nutrition education and counselling. She is the current secretary of the Diabetes Alliance, and program manager at Sweet Life Diabetes Community.
Margot McCumisky
Margot McCumisky is the National Manager of Diabetes South Africa. Diabetes SA is a registered NPO/PBO focused on informing, educating and supporting all people who have diabetes and their families. Diabetes SA also acts as an advocate for people with diabetes, lobbying for better facilities, cheaper medication and better services. They have been assisting and advocating for people with diabetes for 53 years, with many successful diabetes outreach projects and 22 years of running rural South African diabetes education projects, a diabetes website and Diabetes Focus magazine quarterly issues.
Delouise Groenewald
Delouise Groenewald is the mom of two children with Type 1 diabetes who are on the Autism Spectrum. She runs ids Powered by Insulin, and is a professional photographer.
Kirsten de Klerk
Kirsten de Klerk is an avid adventurer and diabetes advocate. She works as campaign manager focusing on diabetes advocacy for Treeshake, and is the co-founder of Bete It, a South African non-profit organisation striving to support and advocate for people with Type 1 diabetes, and create a platform for awareness and education. For type ones, by type ones.
Bridget McNulty
Bridget McNulty is the co-founder of Sweet Life Diabetes Community, South Africa’s largest online diabetes community and a registered NPO/PBO. She has been living with Type 1 diabetes for 14 years, and is passionate about showing that it’s possible to live a healthy, happy life with diabetes.
Shelly Schutte
Shelly Schutte is a passionate learning support teacher, eternal student and representative of YT1. YT1 is Diabetes SA’s Type 1 Youth and Children’s Outreach. Diabetes SA has been running Type 1 children’s outreach for over 40 years. Shelly has been living with Type 1 diabetes for many years.
Kerry Kalweit
Kerry Kalweit is a medical doctor and lives with Type 1 diabetes. She has been a volunteer for Youth With Diabetes (YWD) for over 15 years. YWD has leadership training programs, support groups and school/nurse training in diabetes. YWD is a member association of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Kerry is passionate about helping children and their families adapt and thrive with diabetes, especially in low-resource settings.