Barbie introduces first-ever doll with type 1 diabetes

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Mattel announced on Tuesday it will debut its first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes. 

Barbie partnered with Breakthrough T1D, a global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, to develop the doll’s design.

Barbie with type 1 diabetes announced

According to the toy giant, the doll wears a CGM on her arm to help manage her diabetes. CGMs are small, wearable devices that continuously measure a person’s blood-sugar levels.

The Barbie doll also carries an insulin pump on her waist, a medical device that allows for automated insulin dosing.

The Barbie with type 1 diabetes retails for $10.99 on Amazon and Walmart. (Credit: Mattel)

Big picture view:

Type 1 Diabetes or T1D is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all, leading to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and or long-term complications. 

Where to buy Barbie with type 1 diabetes

What you can do:

The Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes is part of the "Fashionistas dolls" collection. 

This Barbie is now available at retailers nationwide and online, including Amazon and Walmart. Barbie fans can purchase the doll for $10.99.

The doll fosters ‘greater sense of inclusion’

What they're saying:

Mattel said the addition to the line will enable more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie and will encourages doll play that extends beyond a child’s own lived experience, fostering a "greater sense of inclusion and empathy."

"Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation," Krista Berger, the senior vice president of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls, said in a statement. "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."

Type 1 Diabetes

Dig deeper:

The Barbie Fashionistas line features more than 175 looks across various skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashion styles, including a Blind Barbie doll, a Barbie doll with Down Syndrome, and a Barbie doll with Hearing Aids, among others. 

RELATED: Barbie unveils 1st blind doll and Black doll with Down syndrome

Last year, Barbie unveiled their Blind Barbie Doll and Black Barbie Doll with Down syndrome as part of its fashionista collection.