Lauren's story

For Aucklander Lauren Taylor, volunteering with Diabetes New Zealand is a way of giving back. At 30, she’s spent more than a decade working in the IT industry, and when she’s not at work, you’ll likely find her cooking for friends and family, dancing, reading, or tending to her garden.

Lauren has lived with type 1 diabetes for 28 years, and that experience is at the heart of why she volunteers. After benefiting from the support of the diabetes community throughout her life, she felt ready to step forward and contribute in her own way.

Over the past four to five years, she has helped at a range of youth events - from Kelly Tarlton’s outings to ice skating sessions and summer camps - and represented Diabetes New Zealand at a Lions fundraising event in New Lynn. Whether she’s supporting kids through activities or helping raise awareness, Lauren brings warmth, understanding, and lived experience to every interaction.

What keeps her coming back is simple: the joy of seeing young people connect with others who truly understand what they’re going through. As she puts it, “seeing kids who were just like me, making connections with others who are just like them, seeing the joy on their faces knowing that we all understand what they are going through and showing the kids that you can still lead a normal life despite what has been thrown at us.”

For Lauren, volunteering is about showing the next generation that diabetes doesn’t have to hold them back - and that they’re part of a community that will always stand beside them.