Kelly Kunik, a member of Diabetes Advocates, stated: “Today is Diabetes Alert Day in the US and we are trying to stress to all media sources that more due diligence is required on everyone’s part when reporting on diabetes. We want to help all sources ‘get it right’ but also stress the importance of explaining the differences among ‘all things’ diabetes.”

Despite the fact that media outlets are reporting on diabetes more than ever, the condition is still widely misrepresented and portrayed as only one disease, when in actuality, diabetes is made up of several different diseases (type 1, type 1.5 LADA, and type 2 being the most predominantly confused). By emailing the organization at media AT diabetesadvocates.org, reporters can quickly fact check, get suggestions and have a real-time conversation with the Diabetes Advocates to ensure the accuracy of their articles. The Diabetes Advocates can also serve as sources for reporters.

With representation from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Actor’s Equity (AEA) within the organization, the Diabetes Advocates can also serve as information sources to entertainment outlets. Entertainment outlets looking for information on diabetes can email the group as well.

“Our goal is to stop being reactive and start being proactive,” said Kunik. “When a story with incorrect information is published, the damage is done. By making ourselves available to media and entertainment outlets, we are seeking to be part of a solution.”

ABOUT DIABETES ADVOCATES

Diabetes Advocates is a not-for-profit program run by the Diabetes Hands Foundation. The program combines the resources of its members to do activities to better educate the public about all aspects concerning diabetes.

For more details, visit: www.diabetesadvocates.org or contact Kelly Kunik.

Learn more about the benefits of being a member of Diabetes Advocates.

To apply, complete this online application by April 1, 2012.

We look forward to expanding the work we do to help people live with diabetes in 2012!

Ryan and Meri Schuhmacher have been married for 19 years. They have four sons, ranging in age from 8 – 16 years of age. Three of their boys have Type 1 Diabetes.

On February 26, 2012, 40-year-old Ryan was taken to the emergency room for an evaluation of numbness and heaviness in his right leg. A CT scan showed 6 brain tumors. Further testing revealed additional tumors in his lungs and abdomen.

The road ahead will be long and rocky. It will be filled with radiation and new drugs that have only recently been approved by the FDA. It will be filled with exhausting emotions, moments of fear, and endless questions.

But it will also be filled with hope, a determined spirit, and faith beyond measure.

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All the best to you, Ryan!

 WEGO Health

The WEGO Health Paperboy Health Activist Award winner is… Amy Tenderich of DiabetesMine!

The WEGO Health Best in Show Award for Blogging winner is Kerri Sparling of SixUntilMe!

Another member of the DOC we’ve all learned to love and respect also won an award:

The WEGO Health Advocating for Another Award winner is… Scott Benner of Arden’s Day!

Congrats to all! Well done in 2011! What can we accomplish in 2012?

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The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to open your eyes and mind to explore new ways to help people with diabetes (PWDs). In this Nutri-Zine, I’ll discuss how we healthcare providers/educators (HCPs) can expose our clients to the exploding Diabetes Online Community, lovingly called, The DOC. Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the honor and pleasure to meet and interact with several key DOC leaders. Suffice to say they are an AWESOME, PASSIONATE and DEDICATED group of people (most of them are people with diabetes or the parent or spouse of a PWD). It has been heartwarming and inspiring for me to observe the web they’ve woven. Read more.

I have to say the West Coast does Very well every year – blaming Manny, Amy and Kelly Close for that – Huge thanks to them for what they do in California. East Coast? You’re lacking. Not the Advocates – the cities, towns. NYC, what happened to the Empire State Building? You did it last year, what gives? Now the folks in Indianapolis know how to get together; Cherise, Mike H. and Mike D. The Mid-West and West need to be our guides, or something. We Can Do This! Let’s light up the USA next year!

Natalie Sera

“I’m a square peg in a round hole, so I’m always looking to learn as much as I can about all types of diabetes, and passing on tidbits of information, experiences, and relationships that it has brought into my life.”

The Odd Duck Out

When it was first suspected that I had diabetes in the fall of 1992, I was assigned to the Type 2 category because of my age (44) and the fact that I was a little overweight. But it soon became apparent that I did not fit the classic description. My cholesterol levels and blood pressure only became elevated when I started running high BGs, and I derived no benefit from losing 10% of my weight and exercising as I had been advised. By fall of 1993, I was uncomfortably symptomatic, and in December, was sent to an endo who put me on Glucotrol, a sulfonylurea, which did exactly nothing for my BGs. So I begged for insulin and started it in May 1994, and have not looked back since then. At this point, I’m using a pump, and it has given me my quality of life back. I’m also eating a reduced-carb diet, and getting wonderful results from it.

I have been involved in the Diabetes Online Community since before it started, beginning with the Usenet group, misc.health.diabetes in 1993, and the Lehigh list at the same time. A group led by Dr. Arturo Rolla of Harvard University broke away from that group, and is still going, and I’m still a member. In 2010, I found TuDiabetes, and have been active there ever since, and several people encouraged me to start a blog. I will admit that I’m a reactive rather than proactive writer, and so that tends to be the nature of my posting. On occasion, I will react to things that are not diabetes related, but the D will be the central theme of my blog. I’m always interested in new topics, and reader input is greatly welcomed!

Did you know that November was dedicated to Diabetes only Last year by President Obama? Here’s the Presidential Proclamation.