We people who care about advances in diabetes care are unique creatures. Just like our tastes in coffee (with sugar? I say, EW! You say, yes!) Or vacations (Skiing? That\u2019s so cold, you might say. I say, bring it on!). We all have individual tastes and views, which, of course, has caused some debate over the Medtronic 670g Hybrid System. Some folks are up in arms over the name(s) used for the newly FDA approved hybrid system (or artificial pancreas). Others feel that a better tool is meaningless because they have their sights on a biological cure. And many have asked me my take, so I\u2019m going to outline it here. Your opinion may vary, but this is where I stand.<\/p>\n
First, some background. My daughter Lauren was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the beginning of kindergarten. She\u2019s 25 now. I was the National Government Advocacy Chair for JDRF back when the artificial pancreas project first started. I\u2019ve been entrenched in the concept and the push to make it happen for many years. I was in the room when Jeffrey Brewer first made his call to action, and I was on phone calls that were brainstorming sessions. \u201cWhat would this look like to you? What does this mean to you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve given this all a decade of deep thought and I believe\u00a0the FDA decision is historic <\/strong>because it clears a path and sets a roadmap for other products to come to market. Seeing that it can happen builds the confidence of other manufacturers to dig deep and get a product out. More products will equal better products and advances. Just as it happened with insulin pumps, new and better devices will come out regularly, with cooler bells and whistles. And many companies will offer incentives to get you to use their products even if it\u2019s not your \u201cwarranty is up\u201d time. Minimed did it well when they worked through the Paradigm line.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I should add, too, that the FDA approval came from regular folks advocating. Our voices, our meetings, and our letters pushed this issue to the top of their list. Our advocacy helped them study it sooner and closer. What did Margaret Mead say? \u201cNever doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.\u201d True that.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t have to be a cure to matter. <\/strong>Come on \u2013 I don\u2019t know anyone<\/em> who does not want a cure for their or their loved one\u2019s diabetes. Saying that celebrating a better way to live with diabetes must replace a wish for a cure is just plain silly. To speak to that idea in a simple way; the concept of \u201cwe should only fund research for a cure,\u201d I say this: If we had said that after insulin was invented in the 1920s, we and\/or our loved ones would still be living shorter and more difficult lives, facing almost guaranteed complications, and struggling more mightily than any of us in a first world nation can imagine.<\/p>\n I want a cure more than anyone can know. But as my child grew, I developed dreams just as vivid as my dream of a cure. Like: Lauren not having to eat at exactly the same time every day and only the food allowed on the meal plan (dream realized via better insulin and pumps). Like Lauren being able to check blood sugar fewer times a day (dream realized via CGMs). Like some day \u2013 her getting married and having a child and it being less difficult for her and her spouse (you do know that spouses of pregnant women with diabetes are heroes, right?).<\/p>\n Is there any kind of insult to my dream of a\u00a0diabetes\u00a0cure if I entertain \u2013 and realize \u2013 other dreams along the way? I say no.<\/p>\n A name is a name is a name. <\/strong>It\u2019s semantics, folks. And go ahead and say the public is going to be confused and think that these new tools mean we don\u2019t need anything more. You are right. But it\u2019s not like this is new. I cannot count the number of times someone has said to me \u201cOh \u2013 why do you still have to worry about that? Didn\u2019t she get that pump that takes care of it all for her?\u201d That\u2019s been happening for decades. I cannot hold in my mind the total times I\u2019ve cringed when I read a news report saying \u201che was fitted with an insulin pump.\u201d Fitted? Like \u201cOh, ouch! This one is squeezing my remaining beta cell mass a little too much!\u201d It\u2019s frustrating and infuriating to have to explain and explain and explain.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing: this is not one product. This is not one moment in time. This is an entire new generation of tools and treatment, and it needs an umbrella name for it all to be grouped under. JDRF called it the APP \u2013 Artificial Pancreas Project \u2013 because it is just that. A project. A mission. Not just one finite goal.<\/p>\n If anyone has a better name for that mission, let\u2019s share. But I do believe it is going to benefit us all to have an overarching name for all the advancements we are going to see. And an aside: for those who fear this will make people stop giving toward a cure, I shared this news with my community the day it came out. Within four hours I had over $1,200 in new donations to my annual Ride to Cure, almost all from folks who had already given.<\/em> So, their response was this: Oh, wow! Our donations are actually doing something! Let\u2019s do more! (P.S. my friends rule!)<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a Medtronic thing: <\/strong>Sure, they had the first. But more than 18 companies are working on hybrid systems and smarter tools. To me the bigger picture of choices that we will have is amazing. So if you don\u2019t like Medtronic, hang tight. More is coming.<\/p>\n This MUST be accessible to all. <\/strong>And, here, we have work to do. You know, people seem to gloss over the fact that we have figured out better treatments so that people with diabetes can live to be old, old, old but\u2026 stop and ponder this: we don\u2019t have a Medicare system that covers the tools they need to stay safe and alive once they are old. <\/em>That has to change. And these new tools must be covered and accessible to all.<\/p>\n So that\u2019s how I feel right now.<\/p>\n Well, almost 20 years into life with diabetes, she told me recently that while she appreciates my crazy drive toward a cure, she would be fine with better tools to continue to live better and have better long-term outcomes, along with one other thing. \u201cPrevention, Mom. Prevention. I am okay, but I dream of a day when no other kid has to deal with this.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m on it, Lauren. But I\u2019m still pushing for your cure. These new tools don\u2019t change that in any way. All they change is your future. For the better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" But here\u2019s the thing: this is not one product. This is not one moment in time. This is an entire new generation of tools and treatment, and it needs an umbrella name for it all to be grouped under. JDRF called it the APP \u2013 Artificial Pancreas Project \u2013 because it is just that. A project. A mission. Not just one finite goal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":45053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1448],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow does my daughter feel?<\/h3>\n