Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without insulin, the body cannot properly process sugar from a diet. Type 2 Diabetes is increasingly common in children and occurs when the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin.

What will I learn in this patch program?

What insulin’s role in a cell is How different things affect your blood sugar The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes How Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is managed How to be a good friend to someone with T1D Additional Outcomes for Older Girl Scouts Learn about mental health and Type 1 Diabetes Lab shadowing: 2-4 times per year have a group of Girl Scouts come to the Barbara Davis Center (BDC), get a tour and learn about the important work the BDC does

How long does the diabetes program take?

You should be able to complete the program in one to two Girl Scout meetings.

What do I need to get started?

Your fellow Girl Scouts in your troop Writing utencils (markers, crayons or colored pencils) Notecards Posterboard Cookies, nuts or cheese, apple slices Room for exercise Device to watch videos

How can I welcome a Girl Scout with diabetes into my troop?

Due to the increase in diabetes in the United States, the odds are that most Girl Scouts know someone with diabetes. If a Girl Scout has Type 1 Diabetes they will have to take insulin. This may be in the form of an insulin pump or multiple daily injections. If a Girl Scout has Type 2 Diabetes they may take insulin or may regulate their blood sugar in the form of an orally taken pill. They should be testing her blood sugar as well. This can be done using a glucometer or through a device on her body called a continuous glucose monitor. Glucose tablets, juice and fruit snacks are commonly used to treat a low blood sugar. For sever low blood sugar, glucagon should be administered. Download the document below for some suggestions and strategies for preparing for and including girls with diabetes in your troop.

How many Girl Scouts have earned the patch?

As of July 2026, nearly 3,250 patches have been earned. The breakdown is as follows: Daisies (K-1) - 826 patches Brownies (2-3) - 899 patches Juniors (4-5) - 826 patches Cadettes (6-8) - 486 patches Seniors (9-10) - 105 patches Ambassadors (11-12) - 105 patches

The Girl Scouts Diabetes Patch

Become a Diabetes Detective!

Exploring Health, Friendship, & Confidence with CDF and Girl Scouts of Colorado.

Dive into the world of diabetes education and advocacy with the Children's Diabetes Foundation in this hands-on event, designed to teach youth about the science of diabetes and how they can support friends with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood.

There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without insulin, the body cannot properly process sugar from a diet.
Type 2 Diabetes is increasingly common in children and occurs when the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin.
What will I learn in this patch program?
What insulin’s role in a cell is
How different things affect your blood sugar
The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
How Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is managed
How to be a good friend to someone with T1D

Additional Outcomes for Older Girl Scouts

Learn about mental health and Type 1 Diabetes
Lab shadowing: 2-4 times per year have a group of Girl Scouts come to the Barbara Davis Center (BDC), get a tour and learn about the important work the BDC does
How long does the diabetes program take?
You should be able to complete the program in one to two Girl Scout meetings.
What do I need to get started?
Your fellow Girl Scouts in your troop
Writing utencils (markers, crayons or colored pencils)
Notecards
Posterboard
Cookies, nuts or cheese, apple slices
Room for exercise
Device to watch videos
How can I welcome a Girl Scout with diabetes into my troop?
Due to the increase in diabetes in the United States, the odds are that most Girl Scouts know someone with diabetes.
If a Girl Scout has Type 1 Diabetes they will have to take insulin. This may be in the form of an insulin pump or multiple daily injections.
If a Girl Scout has Type 2 Diabetes they may take insulin or may regulate their blood sugar in the form of an orally taken pill.
They should be testing her blood sugar as well. This can be done using a glucometer or through a device on her body called a continuous glucose monitor.
Glucose tablets, juice and fruit snacks are commonly used to treat a low blood sugar. For sever low blood sugar, glucagon should be administered.

Download the document below for some suggestions and strategies for preparing for and including girls with diabetes in your troop.
Download Here
How many Girl Scouts have earned the patch?
As of July 2026, nearly 3,250 patches have been earned. The breakdown is as follows:

Daisies (K-1) - 826 patches
Brownies (2-3) - 899 patches
Juniors (4-5) - 826 patches
Cadettes (6-8) - 486 patches
Seniors (9-10) - 105 patches
Ambassadors (11-12) - 105 patches

Download the Diabetes Detective Program

Ready to get started? Download the CDF and Girls Scouts of Colorado Diabetes Program.

Download the Program Here

Finished the Program? Get your free patch!

Request your Patch Here

Program Testimonials

Helps other girls understand one of our girls in our troop.

My daughter has T1D. She was diagnosed is May. It is such a hard disease and most do not understand even a fraction of what she goes through. This made her feel so good knowing others were getting educated on a disease that is often treated as a joke to others. We were really impressed with how thorough this patch was! Well done to whoever made this. You even included carb ratios! Thank you for making my daughter feel seen.”

I am the co-leader of our troop and my daughter has diabetes. It was amazing to see her troop so interested in learning about what she deals with day to day and wanting to help her.

Emery is 8 years old and diagnosed with type 1 diabetic in May 2025. She learned more about her body and illness with this training

Giving awareness to something the girls never knew their friend was going through. It was very organized and easy to complete.

I'm a pharmacist and love how this teaches kids about disease states in their own age range and how everyone is different! Brings awareness around something that is more common than most know.

I think this is a great program for the girls to understand that they could have a friend with it and know what to do if they are having a diabetic emergency. I also thought it was great that they touch on eating disorders as well.

I love to open their eyes to realize there are lots of people who have generally unseen illnesses or disabilities and just because you can't see their struggles, they are still struggling and need friendship and kindness.

Two of our girls have kids in their class with diabetes so learning why the had certain accommodations was enlightening for them.

I love how it gave a voice to our Type 1 sisters! One of our troop leaders and one of our girls are Type 1 warriors!!!!!!

I have a son with type 1 and always looking for ways to spread awareness. I love this idea of making it in to a Girl Scouts patch and sharing the information with the girls in hopes they'll share it too and be aware of kids who may have it at school.

All of the girls know someone with diabetes, so I think it's incredibly important for them to understand the disease and how to support their friends and family.

I like how they informed us girls about what the difference in type 1 and 2 diabetes is. I have friends at school that are diabetic and I never asked them what it was, how it affects them, or why they have to carry insulin with them. It gave us a lot of information we didn't know about.

As a T1D mom, I LOVE this program. Thank you so much for raising awareness and putting it in simple words to help our young scouts understand.

Having the girls learn about some things that affects others that you may not normally see very easily.

Thank you so much for covering a topic that's so important to our family!

This program helped me to teach my Girl Scouts about a disease I live with daily!