Since insulin was discovered in 1921, there have been great changes to the therapies, perceptions, and support for people with diabetes. However, great progress is still needed in many areas: namely better care, more access, and greater equity.
To facilitate dialogue in these areas, Diabetes Hands Foundation acts as a liaison between patients and stakeholders such as health care companies, academics, and governmental agencies. We empower people touched by diabetes to have open dialogue about their experience and be vital stakeholders in their own care. We seek to share knowledge, create coalitions, amplify patient voices, and improve the lives of people living with diabetes.
The following list was created from issues often vocalized in the community, and guides our efforts in advocacy. We hope our collective community efforts will result in small, iterative improvements over time, towards the future described below. We understand that each patient, community, and moment is unique. Neither exhaustive nor fixed, this list will evolve as community needs evolve.
We Advocate for a Future that Includes:
| 1. A health care system that promotes greater health equity and lessens disparities, and in which access is not denied or hindered. |
| 2. A patient-centered, integrated health care system that educates and empowers patients to actively participate in care decisions tailored to their unique needs. |
| 3. Pathways for patients to offer their expertise as stakeholders, leaders, and innovators. |
| 4. The use of technology, using principles of open source and open data, to accelerate innovation while protecting patient rights. |
| 5. Affordable access to trained health care providers and effective therapies, anywhere in the world. |
| 6. A comprehensive health care system that provides prevention, education, and psychosocial support. |
| 7. A world that understands diabetes without stigma. |
| 8. Fair accommodations to promote success at work, school, etc. |
How Can We Shape the Future?
We will begin populating our Hub with detailed information on the above issues so you can learn, make personal choices about what you support, and get involved in the efforts that catch your eye. Today, the opportunity to advocate (in small and large ways) is available to all of us, whether that means a quick Facebook post or a year-long project to change policy. Many of our partners and friends in the community are working on projects in these issue areas and we aim to be a Hub connecting these efforts. The work to be done in the diabetes space is diverse and limitless; it will take all of us working together to improve the lives for people living with diabetes. We invite you to join us!