The goal was to create a source for diabetes education and reduce stigma by connecting with younger people through effective design.
Medipals Comic
5.5 in x 8.5 in
Clip Studio Paint, InDesign
April 2025
An informational comic explaining diabetes through cute characters.
It all started with diabetes research, the different types, the causes, its impact, and how design can help. From this research came two facts: cases of diabetes are rising among younger people, and diabetes stigma leads to adverse health outcomes, especially for those who require more intensive treatment. Unfortunately, while cases of diabetes among younger people are increasing, there is still a strong focus on older individuals among organizations. This focus is evident in their design, with visual elements that appeal to older audiences. So Medipals’ solution was to present diabetes information in a way that is more appealing to younger people.
The challenge was to balance the serious subject matter with an approachable design that feels friendly and soft. Inspired by comics and graphic novels, the main idea was to create a comic that explained diabetes in an easy-to-understand way for children. The comic features fun characters that guide readers through diabetes, explaining how it works, the different types, and ways to manage it.
The focus was on creating cute and fun characters that could help introduce complex concepts. I went through different design ideas, but ultimately landed on a cat, dog, and robot. The cat and dog, as organic creatures, would stand in for individuals with diabetes, while the robot would explain the science and technical aspects.
