JDRF Ambassador receives OBE in New Year’s Honours List

JDRF Ambassador Nina Wadia has received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for her services to charity and entertainment.

Actor Nina, well-known for her roles in Eastenders, Still Open All Hours and Goodness Gracious Me, has supported JDRF since her son, Aidan, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2017 at the age of 10.

As for so many parents, Aidan’s diagnosis entailed a steep and emotional journey for the whole family, which got worse when Aidan was taken ill following a family holiday.

Drawing on her family’s experience and the research they undertook to better understand the condition, Nina published a book in 2019 to support children with type 1 diabetes, Bionic T1D.

The book empowers children who are facing the challenges of managing type 1 and helps them get to grips with type 1 technology such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors.

As well as supporting the type 1 community, Nina has given invaluable support to JDRF. Nina generously donated her winnings from Celebrity Catchphrase and Celebrity Tipping Point to JDRF, and in 2019 presented a BBC fundraising appeal on our behalf. She has also given her time by hosting an online event to celebrate the ground-breaking launch of the artificial pancreas.

Michael Connellan, Head of External Affairs at JDRF, said: “Nina Wadia has been a true leader in the type 1 diabetes community following her son’s diagnosis. We are delighted that she has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours. Congratulations, Nina.”

Photo by Ferdinand Stöhr on Unsplash