Creator & Managing Director

Mai-Xuan Mantwill

Hi! I would like to shortly introduce myself. My name is Mai-Xuan Mantwill and I live in Vienna, Austria. I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 five years ago. The first 3 years after my diagnosis I did not have a diabetic community and my parents knew very little about diabetes - I was convinced I didn't need any help and that if I just quietly handled it myself, others would be less aware of my diabetes and I'd "fit in" with non-diabetics around me. However, at the beginning of 2019 - at just 15 years old - I experienced serious diabetes-related complications. I contracted the Influenza (a strain of the flu), which, together with a myriad of diabetes-related factors, caused multiple organ failures and left me fighting for my life in a five-week-long coma. 

Although I had my friends' and family's support throughout the ordeal, I did not have a community of other diabetics my age to support me or for me to share my new-found wisdom on the importance of flu vaccines with. I scoured the internet for a platform that would allow me to connect with other young diabetics and was stunned to find that whilst there were small communities scattered across social media, there was not a single platform specifically made for young diabetics. I realised that whilst this was a deeply concerning gap in resources for young diabetics, it was also a unique opportunity to create a platform and resource that connected young diabetics from all over the world and that would specifically cater to their needs. And the rest is history...

Head of Digital

Philip Rattacher

Hey hey! My name is Philip Rattacher and I live in Vienna, Austria. My Diabetes Journey began in April of 2017. At the time, I was experiencing common symptoms like loss of appetite, weight loss, increased thirst, and overall lack of motivation. After receiving a proper diagnosis I started learning about diabetes and what it actually meant to be diabetic. Many misconceptions were cleared up and I instantly had a better understanding of basic medical science which later on helped spark my interest in other sciences. 

One of my biggest pet peeves back then and still now was/is being pitied by „healthy“people/being looked down upon for having an autoimmune disorder. I never felt very different from my non-diabetic friends and therefore only told the people I really had to. I saw telling people about my struggles as a weakness. Diabetes has had and still sometimes does have a huge impact on my mental health and that’s okay. Over the past few years, I learned that it’s okay to struggle and that you’re not weak for not being perfect. 
I hope to share that message with the help of YOUNG DIABETICS and help as many people as I can by supervising our website and working on creative projects with our Team. 

 If you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to take the matter into your own hands. Excited to see where this journey takes us.   

Head of Social Media & PR

Amanda Escanciano

Hi! My name is Amanda and I'm an 18-year-old student from Madrid, Spain. I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes in 2012 when I was 8 years old. To be honest, it was a shock for me and all my family members, but I didn't struggle a lot. I just followed the instructions the doctors gave me. 

I have been using an insulin pump since 2015. I have to admit that it made me feel kind of insecure that people could see it. For many years, I felt insecure and only when I discovered the Diabetes online community last year, I began to feel more confident in myself and my tech devices (CGM and insulin pump).

I decided to join this platform because I think it's really important for young diabetics to share their daily problems and experiences and help each other out as it can make a difference in our lives. Being connected with people all around the world who suffer from Type 1 Diabetes, is one of the things that has helped me the most throughout my diabetic journey. That’s why I believe in connecting people with different backstories to build a strong, young, and global community.

Head of Advocacy & Blog Content

Konstantina Taki

Hi, I'm Konna! I'm a final year medical student from Greece, and I've been diabetic since 2008. I'm currently on Medtronic insulin pump and freestyle libre sensor treatment. My biggest passion about diabetes is awareness, mostly on the impact of the disease of every aspect in our lives. I keep saying diabetes is so much more than numbers and injections!