Celebrating lived experience, creative courage, and the unseen emotional journey of diabetes for World Diabetes Day
There are parts of life with diabetes that do not fit into charts or numbers. Alongside every injection, alarm, sensor reading and clinical decision lives something quieter and harder to describe. The daily effort to stay in control. The fear of “what if.” The invisible weight of carrying a condition that never rests.
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Celebrating lived experience, creative courage, and the unseen emotional journey of diabetes for World Diabetes Day
Today, Ascensia Diabetes Care is proud to honor the artists who chose to make that invisible reality visible through the 2025 “This Is Diabetes. This Is Anxiety.” art campaign.
This year’s entries came from around the world and revealed a powerful emotional landscape. Parents who sleep lightly and listen for alarms in the night. Young adults learning to rebuild identity after diagnosis. Children growing up faster than they should. People balancing pride and exhaustion, strength and vulnerability, fear and hope.
The winning artworks were chosen by a global judging panel and a collective vote from PHC employees.
We are proud to announce the winners:
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First Place
Emmanuel Moreno Lopez, Mexico
Almost at the Limit -
Second Place
Irene Cotroneo, Italy
So little, so big -
Third Place
Kanjaree Suppawittaya, Thailand
The Quiet Courage
All twenty finalist pieces have been curated into a free coloring and reflection book that invites people to pause, breathe and connect with the emotional world behind diabetes. The book is available for download at thisisdiabetes.com.
To help spark understanding in communities, workplaces and clinical settings, Ascensia is also offering a selection of these artworks free for permanent display. Hospitals, diabetes centers, schools, advocacy groups and public spaces are invited to download, print and frame the pieces for ongoing use, with no cost. Each artwork includes a brief personal story from the artist, offering a window into the emotional side of diabetes and mental health.
A total of EUR 10,000 will be donated to diabetes charities chosen by the artists.
“These artworks remind us that diabetes is not only a medical condition. It is a human one. Behind every reading and every decision is a life full of emotion, strength and deeply personal moments. We are grateful to every artist who trusted us with their truth,” said Koichiro Sato, CEO of Ascensia Diabetes Care and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of Ascensia’s parent company PHC Group,
Now in its fourth year, the “This Is Diabetes” initiative has engaged hundreds of creatives and storytellers, shared voices from across the globe and helped shift understanding toward the emotional and mental health realities of diabetes.
For many, art became advocacy. And perhaps most importantly, art became a way to feel seen.
To view the gallery, download the book or request artwork for display, visit thisisdiabetes.com.
Ascensia Diabetes Care is a PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE: 6523) company. Terms and conditions apply.
About Ascensia Diabetes Care
Ascensia Diabetes Care is a global company focused entirely on helping people with diabetes. Our mission is to empower those living with diabetes through innovative solutions that simplify and improve their lives.
We are home to the world-renowned CONTOUR® portfolio of blood glucose monitoring systems and the exclusive global distribution partner for the Eversense® Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems from Senseonics. These products combine advanced technology with user-friendly functionality to help people with diabetes manage their condition and make a positive difference to their lives. As a trusted partner in the diabetes community, we collaborate closely with healthcare professionals and other partners to ensure our products meet the highest standards of accuracy, precision and reliability, and that we conduct our business compliantly and with integrity.
Ascensia is a member of PHC Group and was established in 2016 through the acquisition of Bayer Diabetes Care by PHC Holdings Corporation. Ascensia products are sold in more than 100 countries. Ascensia has around 1,400 employees and operations in 29 countries. For further information, please visit the Ascensia Diabetes Care website at: www.ascensia.com
About PHC Holdings Corporation
PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE 6523) is a global collection of healthcare companies with a mission of contributing to the health of society through healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people. Its subsidiaries (referred to collectively as PHC Group) include PHC Corporation, Ascensia Diabetes Care, Epredia, LSI Medience Corporation, Wemex Corporation, and Mediford Corporation. Together, these companies develop, manufacture, sell and service precision technology across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, life sciences and diagnostics. PHC Group’s consolidated net sales in FY2024 were JPY 361.6 billion with global distribution of products and services in more than 125 countries. www.phchd.com
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Contacts
Tim Stamper – Tim.Stamper@fticonsulting.com