IDF

Florida Capitol - World Diabetes Day 2011

100 and World Diabetes Day

NHBPM_2011_Day16

Monday, November 14, was World Diabetes Day. All around the world people were wearing blue, sharing their stories with diabetes, advocating and increasing awareness, and even lighting landmarks blue. Here in Florida, the city of Orlando changed a number of their downtown landmarks to blue thanks in large part to the efforts of one Tremayne Sirmons, a person with Type 1 diabetes who made it his personal mission to turn the world around him blue for just one day.

A bit further north in Tallahassee, the folks at Novo Nordisk sponsored and managed to convince the powers that be to allow the old Florida state capitol building to be lit blue for World Diabetes Day. This was reportedly the first time ever that the capitol has allowed any group to change its public facing image in such a way for health awareness.

Florida Capitol - World Diabetes Day 2011

Manan Shah, who works for Novo Nordisk, shared with me that it took them several years to finally make lighting the capitol blue a reality here in Florida. They have been successful at lighting the capitol of North Carolina blue for the past two years. Like Manan, I hope that this trend continues to the point that every state in the union has their capitol turned blue on November 14 each year. Can you imagine if the capitol in Washington D.C. went blue for World Diabetes Day? That would certainly set an example for all of the states.

Go ahead, put it on your list of things to do. It’s on mine, as soon as I can get to Washington and start putting the bug in the ear of senators and state representatives on the hill.

I felt a swell of pride for the state of Florida on Monday night, and was so pleased and grateful that they made such a bold statement in support of people with diabetes as to allow the historic capitol building to change its image in such a profound way. Earlier in the day there had been a press conference on the steps of the old capitol, and one of the speakers was a 15 year old diabetes advocate with Type 1 diabetes who shared her story and made it clear that diabetes is not a disease that can be ignored.

And we won’t be ignored either. Next year, I expect to see even more cities, states, and people getting on board with showing their support for people with diabetes on World Diabetes Day…and every day.

Florida Capitol - WDD 2011 - A-Flizzle and Martin

A-Flizzle and me in front of the Florida capitol, blue for World Diabetes Day 2011

Disclaimer: The folks at Novo Nordisk did not pay me or provide sponsorship to Diabetically Speaking in order for me to say kind things about them in today’s post. It’s legitimate gratitude that I have for Novo Nordisk for footing the bill to turn the Florida capitol blue for World Diabetes Day and showing support for people with diabetes. I hope they have continued success next year. (Hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge…do it again, do it again!)

Florida Capitol - WDD 2011 - Novo Nordisk

Me with Manan Shah (left) and Rich Ropp (right) from Novo Nordisk, sponsors for turning the Florida capitol blue for World Diabetes Day 2011

P.S. – Today’s blog post is my 100th blog post since launching Diabetically Speaking. That may not be a big deal for some folks, but I am taking it as an accomplishment, and proud that I was able to share something as important as World Diabetes Day as my 100th blog post. Thank you all for reading, and for your continued encouragement. Now here’s a gratuitous picture of a 100.

BG 100

This post was written as part of National Health Blog Post Month (NHBPM) – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

National Health Blog Post Month

To Boldly Go Where No PWD Has Gone Before

Elevator Speech

National Health Blog Post Month, Day 14: Elevator blog. If you were in an elevator with someone and they asked you about your blog, what would you tell them?NHBPM_2011_Day14

My blog is my perspective on living with diabetes, including random nonsense, diabetes-related acronyms, and as much humor and entertainment as I can muster. The goal is to help people with diabetes fill in the gaps between the clinical and the unknown, encourage a sense of community, and make sure that no one ever feels alone with diabetes. And to boldly go where no person with diabetes has gone before.

To Boldly Go Where No PWD Has Gone Before

Today, November 14, is also World Diabetes Day. Landmarks around the world are being lit blue tonight to honor people with diabetes and to help raise diabetes awareness. Join me in wearing blue today, take someone with you to a World Diabetes Day event, and help show the world that despite the challenges of living life with diabetes, people are able to thrive with this disease when they have access to proper medications and treatments. Insulin is a blessing to all of us with diabetes who need it to stay alive, and we are immensely grateful for it, but it is not a cure. WE NEED A CURE!Diabetes Blue Circle

This post was written as part of National Health Blog Post Month (NHBPM) – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

National Health Blog Post Month

Imagine - photo courtesy of Allison Blass

Imagine

Every Thursday night Diabetes Social Media Advocacy Live (DSMA Live) comes online, where various topics relating to diabetes are discussed. Last week, the special guest was Professor Jean Claude Mbanya, President of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). He spoke about many diabetes advocacy and global diabetes initiatives that are going on worldwide, the most pressing of which include:

  • O is for Outrage
    The topic of the United Nation’s 2nd summit on global health issues is non-communicable diseases (NCDs), of which diabetes is one. Create a postcard right now to send to United States President Barack Obama, and ask him to represent us at the UN Summit on September 19-20, 2011. The IDF is taking care of all of the shipping costs. (P.S. – I don’t care what political affiliation you are or whether or not you approve of President Obama. This isn’t political. This is necessary.)
  • I Agree
    Do this now. Just click the “I Agree” link above. Just by doing that, you are telling the IDF, the UN, and the world that you support essential care for people with diabetes. People should not have to choose between starvation and living life with diabetes. Not anywhere.
  • Life For A Child
    Saving the lives of children in the developing world. As Professor Mbanya said in his time with us on DSMA Life, “No child should die from diabetes.”
  • World Diabetes Day
    November 14 is World Diabetes Day. Wear blue on this day, attend or host an event, and increase awareness of diabetes worldwide.

Something that really jumped out at me was what he shared about the stigma of diabetes, especially in less fortunate countries where oppression, starvation, corruption, overpopulation, and poverty reign.

Professor Mbanya shared with us the story of a man whom he met in a hospital that had four children, one of which was a daughter who had type 1 diabetes. Despite what help he could get from the hospital, the man was always sad and never smiled. One day Professor Mbanya went away on a trip, and when he returned and happen to run into the man, he was happy, and had a smile on his face. Professor Mbanya asked him, “Why are you so happy?” The man answered that his daughter with type 1 diabetes had died. Professor Mbanya, unable to understand why the death of a child would bring a smile to the father’s face, asked, “Then why are you smiling?” The man answered, “Professor, it was better that my daughter should die, so that the rest of the family can live, for when she was alive we couldn’t eat, the other children had to drop out of school, and now I have changed and put on weight because we are able to eat.”

Imagine.

Among some tribal people in the undeveloped world, diabetes is not viewed as a medical condition, or a sickness, or even a disease. It is viewed as a curse. Professor Mbanya explained to us that in those cultures, the family of a child with diabetes is viewed as having the disease as much as the child, where parents take their children and commit suicide or infanticide because of the profound negative stigma of diabetes.

Imagine.

In 1979, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping enacted the One Child Law for urban areas of China in an effort to control population. The basic premise of the law states that couples are limited to only one child per family. However, if that one child develops type 1 diabetes, then an exemption is allowed so that the parents may essentially try again, because the expectation is that the child with diabetes will die.

Imagine.

Professor Mbanya said it, and I couldn’t agree with him more: “No child should die of diabetes. All children should have adequate access to insulin, monitors, supplies, and education needed to have a happy and quality life.”

Imagine.

Imagine - photo courtesy of Allison Blass

Photo courtesy of Allison Blass