Diabetes Blog Week - Change The World

Let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by talking about the diabetes causes and issues that really get us fired up. Are you passionate about 504 plans and school safety? Do diabetes misconceptions irk you? Do you fight for CGM coverage for Medicare patients, SDP funding, or test strip accuracy? Do you work hard at creating diabetes connections and bringing support? Whether or not you “formally” advocate for any cause, share the issues that are important to you. (Thanks go out to Kim of Texting my Pancreas for inspiring this topic.)

I definitely would not classify myself as a public advocate about Diabetes. I don’t write letters to my public officials about how diabetes needs more funding. I don’t attend diabetes conferences to mingle with other PWD or people who work in diabetes healthcare. I don’t volunteer with JDRF or the Canadian Diabetes Association. Quite frankly I just don’t have time.

I am extremely envious of those that do and that can make it a priority.

I thank those people everyday cause without them; the province of Alberta would not have approved fully funding insulin pumps so that people who don’t have great insurance coverage can have the best care possible. This makes them the second province that includes adults in their coverage.

Without them, the Spare a Rose, Save a Child Campaign could never have existed and children who desperately need insulin would not have access to it.

Without them, we wouldn’t be as close as we are to getting an artificial pancreas. When the CGM detects that you are having a low, it automatically shuts off insulin delivery. While not perfect, it’s a step closer. Karen over at Bitter-Sweet has a really great blog on it.

Without them, there wouldn’t be work going on to look at making glucose meters more accurate.

Without them, there would be no DOC. I would not be able to manage my care as well as I do without the DOC’s support and information. I wouldn’t be able to explain the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 to people. I wouldn’t feel so comfortable experimenting with settings on my insulin pump or trying to different things to make me healthier.

So thank-you again to all those who go out and advocate for Patients with Diabetes. You guys are amazing.