Diabetes researchers launch new t-shirts

Before Laura Eckhardt had the brainwave to develop a branded t-shirt for the diabetes research team, she says patients and even some staff didn’t know exactly who they were and what they did.

She is a research nurse based at Guy’s Hospital whose job is to encourage outpatients to take part in vital research into Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Laura explains: “We’d go to a clinic and people would think I was one of the receptionists or a patient. It was confusing for everyone.”  

She suggested a branded t-shirt to clinical staff who were keen to try out the idea. Once they were wearing the vibrant purple t-shirts, the eight-strong team of researchers really noticed the difference.

Diabetes research co-ordinator, Rhanya Chaabane says: “We were almost invisible before but now with our job role printed on our t-shirts, it changes the dynamic a bit. A lot more people ask us about our work, so we can give them a general overview and find out whether they’re suitable for the research.”

Laura adds: “Historically the research nurses and the frontline clinical staff were very separate and I wanted to bring the two sides together because the more clinicians know about the research, the more they’ll recommend patients to do it.”