In The Bag

A staggering 422 million people around the world must deal with diabetes, with type 1 accounting for up 5-10% of cases. In Aotearoa New Zealand, around 30,000 Kiwis have type 1 diabetes, their routines involving the likes of finger prick tests and insulin injections several times daily. 

Research by Stanford University estimates around 180 extra health-related personal decisions need to be made each day to manage diabetes, decisions that require routines and equipment. Bridget Scanlan was 20 years old when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2010, and soon decided that there must be an easier, and more stylish, way to keep those routines and equipment – which may include blood test monitors, insulin pens, and emergency supplies for pumps – in check. Her solution was a “designer bag, designed for diabetes” which she christened KYT – an acronym for ‘keeping you together’.

“I’m quite a fashion-conscious person and consider bags to be a critical component of an outfit!” Bridget, who studied design in Wellington, tells Verve. “When I was diagnosed, I was just finishing uni and attending events, carting around the bulky equipment in this battered old nylon tote bag that was given to me by the hospital – it even came to the beach with me! I looked for something that would keep me feeling well organised and put together. But there was nothing.”

Like all great ideas, it seems so obvious, were you surprised to discover it hadn’t already been done?

“Yes, and I later learned that, following my diagnosis, friends and family members had searched for stylish diabetic bags as gift ideas.”

The KYT bag was debuted at a 2017 fashion show and “though the show wasn’t just targeted at the diabetes community, the idea still resonated”. The response was so overwhelming that it convinced Bridget that her idea “had legs”. Now, she’s about to launch her second range. 

“Since then, the feedback has been so positive – and usually unprompted – that it’s given me the confidence to continue, rather than it just being some sort of pet project. It’s been so helpful because I tend to have that Kiwi mindset of perpetually doubting myself.”

Bridget is also keen to highlight the collaborative nature of her KYT bags, with “every zip, every angle, every equipment detail influenced by the insights gathered from the hundreds of incredible diabetics who’ve opened up and shared their diabetes stories – and gripes”. The new designs will be launched through a crowdfunding campaign.

Fashioned from ethically sourced leather, the bags boast blood-resistant linings (“that can be wiped down after the inevitable blood stains”) and features like medical ID slots and pockets for sharps and empties. Individual compartments allow you to “organise life essentials and medical equipment separately”. 

The design and manufacturing processes involve mock-ups and meetings and video calls – often internationally – and reaching out to real life and online communities. Bridget has even undertaken a “research roadie” around the country to get further input: “Such collaboration is really helpful, rather than designing in a vacuum.”

I ask if a KYT community has now also blossomed. 

“I think so. We have an established website and social media presence so when people reach out – especially those recently diagnosed – I’m able to put them in touch with people. I’ve heard of people being in the lift at work or walking along the street and seen someone else with a KYT bag and they’ve ended up talking and making friends. It was also the trigger for me to reach out and learn about so many cool communities out there which has definitely helped me with my own diabetes journey.”

Diabetes, Bridget adds, is often a “quiet condition”. When first diagnosed, she’d often feel uncomfortable to be open about it, in part because there’s so much misunderstanding out there. “You can get comments from people telling you what you should and shouldn’t be eating, or doing, which can be quite confronting in the moment. The bags are a way for people to be private. They don’t look like medical items and can be opened in a way to create a private “testing station” that can be used within the bag. But they can also encourage curious conversation, people are intrigued as to what it is which enables conversation to be approached and framed in a more positive way.”

How does the new range differ?

“The first bag was just one size. We’ve learned that there is far more variety in how much people like to carry, some like to carry all of their equipment and spares, while others take a more minimalist approach. So we’ve tried to accommodate everyone with three sizes, the smallest of which is around the size of a sunglasses case, which is likely to be more appealing to the men! And they all look very cool.”

So, do they appeal more to younger adults?

“We thought that would be the case, but we have customers well into their 90s!

“We’ve also had other health communities reach out about designing other bags. People from the ostomy communities, for example, who need stoma bags, as well as allergy and cancer communities who all require lots of equipment also. That’s really encouraging for the future, but our focus for the moment is around diabetes. Like it has for me, I hope KYT becomes a way for others to connect with the vibrant, supportive, empowering diabetes community out there, too.”

Find out more at kytbags.com