Almost 450 healthcare professionals and researchers attended the Diabetes Ireland Conference and Exhibition (DICE) in Croke Park on 22nd of May 2025, where they heard from a top line-up of international and national speakers presenting on the day.

This year, DICE offered more choice to delegates than ever before, with options to choose between four interesting streams covering paediatric, pregnancy in diabetes, acute and community diabetes care, all aimed at providing delegates with new practical information to enhance their continuing professional development.

From a paediatric diabetes care perspective, excellent presentations were delivered by international and national experts covering diabetes education, sports performance and type 1 diabetes, managing different types of diabetes in children and learning from the National Childhood Diabetes Register. Highly renowned, Professor Klemen Dovc from Slovenia discussed the benefits of technology in paediatric diabetes, and UK Psychologists, Drs Corah Lewis and Mary Owen, outlined the challenges associated with living with type 1 diabetes and neurodiversity.

In the pregnancy stream, complex and complicated cases were explored, alongside presentations on resources to support women with diabetes. The importance of nutrition in gestational diabetes was discussed, as well as strategies for preparing for pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes, presented by Ms Cathy Jones (UK) and the significance of mental health during pregnancy was also highlighted.

In the acute stream, the importance of integrating psychology services into diabetes clinics was emphasised by Dr Rose Stewart and Dr Steve Stanaway from Wales, who explained both the rationale and practical steps for implementation. Expertise was also shared on managing Type 1 diabetes in individuals who follow alternative diets, and a presentation outlined the key concerns and priorities of people living with Type 1 diabetes.

In the community stream, Ms Una O’Neill highlighted the need for awareness around Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) in primary care. Hormonal influences on diabetes, particularly in relation to menopause, were explored, and the role of dietitians in supporting people with diabetes within the Chronic Disease Model of Care was also highlighted.

Dr. PJ Boyle shared his expertise on engaging effectively with minority groups. Dr. Amar Puttanna (UK) discussed diabetes complications, screening, and the often-overlooked link with oral health. Finally, Dr. Mark Davies (Belfast NHS Trust) addressed the critical issue of burnout among professionals working in diabetes care, offering insights on prevention and support

The Keynote Lecture was delivered by a real diabetes trailblazer and one of the most recognised researchers in the field of diabetes, the president of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Professor Chantal Mathieu. Professor Mathieu’s talk on the ‘New Face of Diabetes’ outlined where we are and where we are going with managing and living with diabetes and its prevention. This excellent talk gave hope to many that the health and well-being of people living with diabetes or at risk of diabetes are continuously improving, and the research work is ongoing,g bringing us closer to finding the cure for diabetes.

Following the keynote lecture, the youngest-ever DICE presenter, Ms. Hazel O’Grady, who along with her group were highly commended at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition this year for their project “Plastic not so fantastic: Sustainability in diabetes management”, was joined by Professor Michael O’Grady to explore the often-overlooked topic of diabetes and the environment. Their discussion served as a powerful reminder of the importance of environmental sustainability in healthcare and encouraged all attendees to take steps toward going green.

The event concluded with a series of short national updates, including: an overview of Diabetes Ireland activities, progress on the Language Matters initiative, insights from the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (presented on behalf of the National Office for Clinical Audits), and an update on the National Diabetes Registry by its national lead.

Attendees, exhibitors, and the Diabetes Ireland team were delighted with the success of this year’s conference. The overwhelmingly positive feedback further reinforced the commitment to developing DICE as Ireland’s leading national diabetes conference.

“DICE was great this year. It was fantastic to see so many learning from the best international and national experts across all areas of diabetes care,” commented Mr. Kieran O’Leary, CEO of Diabetes Ireland. “We would like to thank all attendees, sponsors, and speakers who made the day so remarkable and brought hope for continued improvements in the care and lives of people living with diabetes in Ireland. A great deal of organisation goes into DICE each year, and I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues for delivering the best-attended DICE conference to date.