{"id":21560,"date":"2011-11-08T09:40:26","date_gmt":"2011-11-08T14:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=21560"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:44:24","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:44:24","slug":"one-in-twenty-of-a-different-kind-be-a-diabetes-advocate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=21560","title":{"rendered":"One-in-Twenty of A Different Kind: Be a Diabetes Advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"

The response to my last post<\/a> has been overwhelming and I’m grateful to everyone who has commented or contacted me – both in praise and in criticism.\u00a0 I fully understand the anger many parents of children with type 1 diabetes feel about the JDRF “1 in 20” ad<\/a>.\u00a0 I think some of the arguments against the ad are justified, and I’m not writing this post to try to convince you that the ad is okay.\u00a0 I don’t like scare tactics and I don’t believe they work in the long run. \u00a0That said, I \u00a0don’t think JDRF is trying to scare us.\u00a0 We are not the intended audience of that ad.\u00a0 JDRF is trying to get the attention of people without<\/em> diabetes.\u00a0 So my take on this is that we should not consider it as fear-inducing, but rather as increasing awareness.\u00a0 And isn’t “awareness” what this month is all about?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In reference to these JDRF ads in the New York Times<\/em> and the Washington Post<\/em>, Amy Tenderich at Diabetes Mine<\/a> posed the thought: “We do wonder if spending huge amounts of money on a one-time shock campaign has any lasting effect.”<\/p>\n

In my opinion, the lasting effect is entirely up to us.\u00a0 JDRF did the ground work.\u00a0 Now let’s take it from here.\u00a0 This is our chance to really be diabetes advocates and diabetes heroes. There are a good 25 million people living with some form of diabetes in the U.S. (I think it’s important to include people with type 2 diabetes, especially given that there are millions of type 2’s using insulin.)\u00a0 To the 25 million, add at least another 75 million of\u00a0 people who love someone with diabetes.\u00a0 We’re up to 100 million potential people (minimum) who have a vested interest in calling out for better technology: more accurate blood glucose monitors would help lower deaths from hypoglycemia, as would the low-glucose suspend pump<\/a>, as would the artificial pancreas<\/a>.\u00a0 Unlike, glucose-responsive insulin<\/a> and a biological cure, these technological advances are all well within in reach.\u00a0 So let’s demand them.\u00a0 If you don’t like 1 in 20 in its negative context, change it.\u00a0 How about, let’s get 1 in 20 people connected to diabetes to sign JDRF’s Artificial Pancreas Petition<\/a>? Why should we be happy with 100,000? Considering our numbers, anything less than 5 million seems like a failure to me.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Diabetes advocacy is easy.\u00a0 You don’t need a blog.\u00a0 You don’t even need any money.\u00a0 Make a sign and put it on your lawn, in your home’s window, your car.\u00a0 Make some signs with a strong message – one that suits you – and get a group together on November 14, World Diabetes Day.\u00a0 Let the media outlets in your city know what you’re going to do.\u00a0 And let them know why.\u00a0 You can tell them most people don’t know how dangerous diabetes is.\u00a0 You can tell them about JDRF’s ad.\u00a0 You can tell them the truth: insulin saves lives, but it also takes them.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Diabetes is a dangerous disease.\u00a0 If we don’t say it is, why will anyone fund research for a cure?\u00a0 If all we talk about is how well we do with diabetes, will the FDA rush to give us better technology?<\/p>\n

The JDRF ad shouldn’t be taken as a step backwards.\u00a0 We’ve been doing things the same way for a long time.\u00a0 Sometimes you need to think differently.\u00a0 Sometimes, progress comes from taking a different approach.\u00a0 We shouldn’t view JDRF as a threat.\u00a0 We all want the same thing, and in this lies our strength.\u00a0 As Hallie, author of The Princess and The Pump<\/a> says, “I don’t care if the stat is 1 in 20.\u00a0 Or 1 in 50.\u00a0 Or 1 in 100.\u00a0 Or 1 in 5000.\u00a0 It’s too many.\u00a0 Enough is enough.”\u00a0 Is there anyone who disagrees with that?<\/p>\n

For a comprehensive summary of low glucose suspend pumps, the artificial pancreas, and the FDA, read Catherine Price’s post, A Plea to the FDA<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to sign JDRF\u2019s Artificial Pancreas Petition.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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