New Children’s Book Aims to Remove Stigma of Diabetes

Dec 7, 2023 | Business

 Author and registered nurse Chelsea Hobson, a diabetic for most of her life, has written a new book for children to help them come to terms with the illness. Entitled “Dancing With Diabetes,” its aim is to enlighten and comfort, helping them to understand they are not alone.

“Dancing With Diabetes” is one of the few children’s books dealing with childhood diabetes in an encouraging manner. “As I browsed the book aisles in Barnes & Nobles, I could not find one book that discussed any sort of medical prognosis. There was only one book that mentioned disability. Zero that showed diversity and medical illness. I aim to be the first. When asked what month breast cancer awareness is, everyone jumps to answer. When asked about diabetes, the room is silent,” Hobson said.

The underlying message of “Dancing With Diabetes” is that hope can be present, even in the unknown. From the American Diabetes Association, their studies show 11.3% of the population are diagnosed with diabetes. More importantly, 8.5 million people live with diabetes undiagnosed.

Excerpt from “Dancing With Diabetes”
“You are amazing! Life with Diabetes might be different, but that’s okay! Many kids are amazing just like you!”

“¡Eres increíble! La vida con Diabetes puede ser diferente, ¡pero no pasa nada! ¡Muchos niños son increíbles como tú!”

Growing up with type 1 diabetes, Hobson realized there was an alarming bias present in many people. “You don’t look like you’re diabetic,” was a comment she heard often. “This book aims to debunk the myth that diabetes has a certain ‘look’ to it. The pages have children of all colors, hair textures, and walks of life. More importantly it opens the door for conversation surrounding medical illnesses that affect both children and adults,” Hobson commented.

Childhood obesity is on the rise, yet according to Hobson, the last memorable book that discusses this in children was written in 2004. “I recall my mother reading it to me. That was 18 years ago. What resources do children have today? What fun, easy-to-understand materials are present on bookshelves? I want my book to spark a movement to change this answer,” she stated.

“Dancing With Diabetes is distributed by Bublish and is available in eBook and hardcover formats at Amazon and other major online retailers. Check out more writings by Chelsea at www.nurseofthenight.wordpress.com. Learn more about Bublish and their author services at www.bublish.com.

About the author

Chelsea Hobson is an Abilene Christian University sum cum laude with her BSN. She has been Type 1 Diabetic for 20+ years and a registered nurse for 3 1/2 years. She has found purpose in her diagnosis by writing meaningful children stories. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her precious shih tzu dog named Dior. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, going hiking, or sky diving into a new adventure.