Karen Shann

Karen Shann is a hospital trained nurse from the UK, a credentialed diabetes educator and certified insulin pump trainer.

Karen’s interest in and awareness of diabetes predates any career plans: she wrote an assignment on diabetes for her school science class as a 13-year-old, inspired by her parents who both have diabetes (her mum is T1D and her dad is T2D).

Karen Shann moved to Australia in 1997 and worked at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane for many years. In 2014 she established T1D Partnership as a diabetes educator in private practice.

Karen is a recent recipient of the Australian Paediatric Endocrine Group’s (APEG) Nurses Development Award which funded travels to Canada and the United Kingdom to review and learn about caring in those countries for children with diabetes.

What have you overcome despite the odds or predictions?

Many thought my relationship to my husband would not last. We started going out together when I was 15 and in 2020, celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. In that time, we have moved to 4 different countries, lived in 12 different houses and have raised 3 beautiful children together.