Insufanten: Talking to Kids About Type-1 Diabetes

Type-1 diabetes has become a manageable disease, but it can still be a challenge to talk about it – this is doubly true for kids. In a new public awareness campaign, Norwegian support network diabetesforbundet wants to speak to kids directly to address their questions: Can I join others in playing without having to worry? Can I stay overnight at my friends’ place? How do I talk about it around other kids?

In order to convey this information in an engaging and playful manner, they turned to the help of animator and illustrator Hans Jørgen Sandnes who, along with his team, created a series of charming 2D-animated short films that recently went public. The star of the show is the Insufant, a friendly creature that helps children take control of their insulin levels and their particular physical requirements.

Since the style of choice for the campaign strongly harkens back to golden age animation of the 50s and 60s, I wrote a light-hearted and catchy jazz big band score for the shorts, and also provided the sound design and mix.