Community
Hayley McDonald reflects on two years of running her medical jewellery business My Identity – and on a partnership with Diabetes NZ that has gone from strength to strength.
NEW YEAR, NEW INITIATIVES
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“People have said to me they knew they needed to wear one, but didn't want to until now ... If you like something, you wear it.”
e first met Hayley McDonald and her daughter Payton (who has type 1 diabetes) in our Summer 2018 issue. Hayley wanted her medical jewellery business to give back, so, early in 2019, she began codesigning medical ID bracelets with a range of prominent personalities in the diabetes community and donating all the profits from these designs to Diabetes New Zealand. To date, she has co-created eight stylish and practical fundraising bracelets, which you can see over the page. (And they’re still available!) Hayley loves this project. “What has struck me most about working with all the codesigners is their willingness to help in any way they can to assist the diabetes community. I’m just happy we can draw attention to it and keep people as safe as we can.” Recently, Hayley and Diabetes NZ have been hatching an exciting new plan. WEAR WHAT YOU LOVE
Payton’s type 1 diagnosis was the trigger for Hayley, a web designer with experience running an online retail shop, to start My Identity. She realised that there were
probably numerous people out there who should be wearing medical bracelets, but weren’t, because they didn’t like the look or feel of them. She set to work to make stylish and comfortable medical jewellery widely available. “I'd run an online retail business before and it was hard, but it's easier when you're passionate about something.” Once she began the business, her hunch proved correct. “Lots of people have said to me they knew they needed to wear one but didn't want to until now. And now they're wearing it with pride. They really like it – and if you like something, you wear it.” I have had people online saying that medical ID jewellery shouldn't be pretty; it should be functional. I just ignore it. As long as you've got that medical symbol, then you can give people a chance at least. “We want to give you the best chance that someone can help you when you cannot help yourself. And so it’s really important for them to be very clearly marked with the medical symbol as well as looking good.”
DIABETES WELLNESS | Autumn 2021
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