Let me Introduce Myself – Jemma, Your New CEO

Hey Tribe! I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre as your new CEO. Thank you for the incredibly warm welcome I've already received - it truly reflects the beautiful openness of this community to embrace everyone connected to T1D. I can't wait to start meeting you all, both virtually and in person at the Centre or our events, once I officially commence at the end of July.

In the meantime, the team thought it would be good for you to get to know me a little better!

My T1D Connection

My brother, Adam.

My connection to type 1 diabetes runs deep, stemming from a pivotal moment when I was 14. Back then, I was a typical teenager, juggling school, friends, a part-time job, and lots of performing arts practice. I remember my younger brother, Adam, then just 8, started to become really unwell around that time. He was losing a lot of weight despite eating mountains of food (loaves of sliced bread would vanish!), and he had an insatiable thirst. He even started disappearing, with us finding him hiding in cupboards, completely unlike the ‘annoying’ younger brother my two sisters and I were used to at the time!

Thankfully, my parents sensed something wasn’t right with him. A swift GP visit and thankfully a doctor who organised a blood sugar test, quickly led to an urgent hospital admission with a dangerous 56 mmol/L blood glucose level and soon to follow a type 1 diabetes diagnosis. As many will understand, our family plunged into a scary, unknown world. We lacked a fantastic resource like the Family Centre back then.

Now, 30 years since that life-changing moment for Adam and our family, I'm incredibly proud of his daily resilience and how he's tackled every challenge as he has grown into a wonderful dad to his own three children. His journey has profoundly inspired my desire to do more for others navigating this complex condition.

My Special People

My sons, Jordan and Levi

Outside of work, my world revolves around my two kind and lovely sons - Jordan, who's almost 21, and Levi, 15. They're both way taller than me, as you can see in the photo! Jordan recently finished his Business Information Systems Degree at Curtin University, and Levi is currently conquering Year 10. Both boys have played football since they were five, which has turned me into a super supporter of our local club. I even spent last year as Club President – go Jandakot Jets!

Fun Facts About Me!

• Music Lover: I'm a massive fan of live music, especially electronic dance music! I pretty much always have a gig or two on the calendar.

• Travel Enthusiast: My most recent adventure took me to Italy for the first time. I literally ate my way through Rome, Florence, Tuscany, and Lake Como - it was an incredible experience. Seriously, everyone should be able to celebrate their birthday in Italy at least once!

• Adrenaline Junkie (for a Cause!): The scariest thing I've ever done was abseiling 220 metres down the Central Park Building right here in Perth! The views were insane. You'd only catch me doing something that crazy if it was for a good reason, and this one was to raise money for the Fiona Wood Foundation for their burns research programs.

Why I’m excited to join the Family Centre

I truly believe the Centre is doing vital work in helping people with type 1. I'm eager to build on the fantastic foundation already in place, work alongside this dedicated team, and collaborate with all of you in our Tribe to explore new ways we can support, educate, and connect. I am looking forward to learning from your lived experiences, hearing your ideas, and together, make an even bigger difference for the T1D community.