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Diabetes in Four Dialects: A Global Call for Equity

Posted date: September 10, 2025

We are proud to share that Linxi Mytkolli, Director of Patient Engagement at Diabetes Action Canada, is the lead author of a new article published in Diabetologia: “Diabetes in four dialects: a global call for equity across lived, loved, learned and laboured experiences.”

The 4Ls framework—Lived, Loved, Learned, and Laboured—has been the foundation of Diabetes Action Canada’s approach to patient engagement. It recognizes that expertise in diabetes is not limited to clinical or academic settings. Instead, it is shaped by:

  • Lived: the daily experiences of people living with diabetes
  • Loved: the support of family, friends, and caregivers
  • Learned: the knowledge of researchers and academics
  • Laboured: the work of healthcare providers, policymakers, and advocates

By bringing these four perspectives together, the framework ensures that diabetes research and care reflect the realities of all those affected.

Why this matters

Patient advocates rarely appear in leading scientific journals, let alone collectively across 15 countries as in this article. Publishing in Diabetologia shows what is possible when science makes space for diverse voices and creates opportunities to mobilize this expertise nationally and internationally.

📖 Read the full article here

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Linxi Mytkolli

Associated Programs

Patient Engagement

Engaging people with diabetes as active partners in health research to maximize the benefits of research for all communities.

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