Mattel launches Barbie with Type 1 diabetes, CGM
By HME News Staff
Updated 1:22 PM CDT, Wed July 9, 2025
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Mattel is debuting the first Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). This addition enables more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie and encourages doll play that extends beyond a child’s own lived experience, thereby fostering a greater sense of inclusion and empathy – all pillars of the Barbie brand’s mission, the company says. “Introducing a Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls. “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.” To ensure the doll design truly captures the community, Barbie partnered with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), the leading global research and advocacy organization for Type 1 diabetes and its complications. The Barbie features a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and an insulin pump. In continued partnership with Breakthrough T1D, Barbie donated dolls to the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children's Congress. The biennial event, July 7-9, brings 170 children living with Type 1 diabetes, ages 4-17, to Washington, D.C., to meet face-to-face with members of Congress.
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