A diabetes solutions campaign you can help shape now

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Sanofi has created an extremely brief 6-question survey in a unique diabetes awareness effort. Until Feb. 12th by expressing what matters most to you about diabetes in this survey you get to shape the focus of Sanofi’s Data Design Diabetes Innovation Challenge. 

The challenge will gather ideas for innovative solutions regarding diabetes awareness and care. After ideas are submitted, 5 semi-finalists will be selected for an intensive mentorship program, design boot camp and a $20K prize. Two favorite finalists will then be chosen by the public and finally a judge will select the winner who will receive $100K to develop their solution.

Sanofi is casting the net wide to grab as many innovative ideas, interventions and solutions as possible to help in the management and awareness of diabetes. On the survey page you can read all about the contest and rules. I should just mention winning ideas will be mentored by industry leaders, plus remain the property of their creator. 

So take the survey and help shape the Challenge. Be part of the solution finding a solution. 

The role you were born to play may just be a heartbeat away

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Comedian Stephen Colbert 

Whether you know who Stephen Colbert is or not – by the way he’s the comedian who hosts his own late night TV show, “The Colbert Report,” I recently read an article in the New York Sunday Times magazine about him where one line made my skin tingle.

The author says, “The role he (Colbert) was born for…hadn’t yet come his way.” It references the fact that Colbert wasn’t very successful when he began his comedic career because he looked too bland, too sane and too conventionally good-looking. That the role he was born to play, the character he currently plays on his nightime parody show, is the one he unknowingly was waiting for. And by virtue of not giving up, for years, but persisting, he eventually got to play his role.

The take-away for me is if we haven’t known great success in the past, and/or are trying to find our way now, perhaps the role we were born to play – whether that’s in our work, love life, family etc, just hasn’t yet come our way. It may still be waiting for us if we just persist.

It inspires me to think that one day all of what I’m doing now may come together to fruition in a new way and be my penultimate role. 

Well, it’s a nice thought isn’t it? 

Volunteer abroad and empower children with diabetes

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Screen Shot 2015-02-06 at 1.31.01 PMSummer program, apply now

Here’s an opportunity I wish I could take advantage of, but unfortunately I am too old, oh yes, and I don’t speak Spanish. But if you are a young person, at least sixteen years old, do speak Spanish and would love to have a life-changing experience empowering young people with diabetes, AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad) is for you.

AYUDA is looking for volunteers to help children with diabetes in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. You don’t have to be in medicine and you don’t have to have or know about diabetes, you will be trained. 

The Dominican Republic program runs mid-June to early July. The Ecuador program runs mid-July to early August. Applications are being accepted now until February 1 and here’s everything you need to know. 

Have a safe and wonderful journey.

The power to tame disease

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A simple yet powerful talk

I came across this video while reading psychologist Arloski’s blog on wellness coaching. 

It’s about Dr. David Servan-Schreiber who succumbed to brain cancer almost twenty years after he got it. 

During Dr. Servan-Schreiber’s years with cancer he inspired people who have cancer to fight for themselves through diet, being present and hope. 

I found the video moving and a confirmation of how much our bodies are the result of what we do. As Servan-Schreiber says, “Food is something you do to your body three times a day.” The idea of food being something we do to our body was a different way of looking at what we choose to put into our mouths. 

You can substitute “diabetes” for “cancer” throughout this short video and I guarantee you will get something out of it. Even if just a reminder about how you’re caring for yourself and your diabetes.

Thank you Dr. Servan-Schreiber. 

Social media isn’t just for patients

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Support and idea spacePhoto social media

The social media space isn’t just support space for patients – which is incredible enough – but also “idea” space for medical device manufacturers if they’d only look. 

That’s what writer Amy Munice, blogger Amy Tenderich of DiabetesMine’s Design Challenge, her inspired device designers and I think. 

According to Amy Munice, “The foolproof way to get the right mix in social media messaging and pave the path for future patented technology, above all, is to focus on listening…all new product developers tapping into the likes of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and disease-specific niches in the blogosphere at every stage of medical device development, could well be the harbingers of engineering and design school curricula in the not-so-distant future.“

To read the full article click here.

JDRF Type 1 Diabetes Research Summit and You’re Invited!

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Saturday February 18th

If you have type 1 diabetes and could spend a Saturday hearing what’s currently going on in research toward a cure, and more – FOR FREE – would you? You can, and you are cordially invited to the second annual JDRF Type 1 Diabetes Research Summit.

Whether you are an adult with type 1, teen with type 1, parent of a child with type 1, loved one of a type 1, health care provider, CDE, MD, researcher, industry partner or interested party, the JDRF Capitol Chapter, which serves the Washington, DC metro area, is sponsoring this fantastic event Saturday February 18th  in Bethesda, MD – and welcomes you.

Registration is still open but will begin to fill up, so don’t put it off, and spread the word. Here’s the full day’s program. To register simply go here. 

While I wasn’t at last year’s event, I will be at this year’s. In fact, I’ll be moderating the dozen stand-out researchers and scientists who will be presenting. Last year’s attendees numbered more than 400 and I heard via the grapevine all thought the conference was amazing. I know this year’s event will be just as amazing, enlightening and enriching both for what you’ll learn and who you’ll meet.

So if you’re in the area, plan to be in the area, or always thought you should see our nation’s capital, come on over, we’d love to have you.

A few scheduled presentations

• Targeting A Cure For Type 1 Diabetes – Kelly Close and Adam Brown, Close Concerns

• The Hope and Promise of Stem Cells and Cell Therapies – Juan Dominguez-Bendala, Ph.D, Director of Stem Cell Development at the Diabetes Research Institute

• Current Efforts To Prevent And Reverse Type 1 Diabetes – Desmond Schatz, MD, Professor and Associate Chairman of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville

• What We Still Need to Learn About T1D – Mark Atkinson, Ph.D, Director of the Diabetes Center of Excellence at the University of Florida, Gainesville

• Until There Is A Cure – Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE, Author and Founder of Integrated Diabetes Services

The Summit runs from 10 AM to 3:45 PM. There will also be a youth program for children five years and older and an exhibit hall featuring the latest in technology and resources.

Hope to see you there among our best and brightest thought-leaders and your fellow diabetes advocates and bloggers!

Help for families who have a child with type 2 diabetes

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Your  Healthy Home Series

Here’s a great way to get the new year off to a happy and healthy start – if you have a child with type 2 diabetes:Your Healthy Home Series (YHHS). 

YHHS is a 4-week series of video coaching sessions from Helaine Ciporen. Helaine is a licensed clinical social worker who counsels children and families at NYC’s Mount Sinai Hospital, Center for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. 

Even better news – the first 50 people who sign up get it for free! 

Your Healthy Home Series consists of 8 interactive emails, each with a short video followed by a questionnaire designed to help families better understand their needs, so that they can make the small changes that will lead to big changes in their health. One of the advantages of this online program is families are right in the environment where they need to make changes – their home – and now they can have the ongoing support and guidance they need.

Although increasing numbers of children are getting type 2 diabetes, due to escalating childhood obesity, there are few educational resources for parents and families. Helaine’s coaching program, as well as the educational web site she developed after years in the field, DiabetesFamilies.com, is one of those resources. 

Having a child with type 2 diabetes is a different struggle than having a child with type 1 diabetes — but it’s still a struggle for families. Your child has to eat differently and start getting active. And these lifestyle habits that need to change usually need to change for the whole family. 

Further, children with type 2 diabetes often get the same associated ills adults do with type 2:  high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. And if a child gets type 2 diabetes and doesn’t manage it, by time they’re in their thirties their quality of life is enormously compromised.

 

 

 

If you have a child with type 2 diabetes, check out the program and web site. If you know a family that has a child with diabetes, spread the word. 

Dear Santa, won’t you please take this diabetes away?

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 I’ve posted this before but I’m posting it again – because it makes me laugh, and humor can’t be overrated living with diabetes.

Dear Santa,

All I’d like this Christmas is for you to take this diabetes away. I’m so tired of it already. All the time stabbing my fingers for blood and guessing when my sugar’s too high or too low.

Now that I’m in menopause I can barely tell whether I’m sweating because I’m losing estrogen or because my blood sugar’s crashing at 50 mg/dl!

And, can we talk… I mean the constant figuring out how many carbs are in a ravioli or bread stick or that fried calamari that will be at the company Christmas party. Some days I just want to lie down and shoot myself. Please, please, Santa, would you take this diabetes away?

Sincerely,
Riva

***
Dear Riva,

I’m very sorry you’re having a tough time during my favorite season. I only want people to be singing carols and drinking eggnog and feeling good cheer. Unfortunately, it says in my contract that I’m not allowed to interfere with life’s natural occurrences. So here’s my suggestion: although you’ve already opened your holiday gifts, go back and look under your Hanukkah bush for the gift in having diabetes.

You may have to spend a few days looking, so why don’t you schedule it for the week between Christmas and New Year’s while you have some down time? Then you can start the new year fresh.

Best wishes,
Santa and the gang

***
Dear Santa,

A gift in my diabetes? What are you, crazy? Meshuggah? Thanks, but no thanks!

Riva

***
Dear Rabbi,

I seek your wise counsel. I wrote to Santa to take away my diabetes, but he wasn’t helpful at all. Surely you who have studied the Torah and represent our people who have suffered throughout history can help me with this awful diabetes.

It’s such a strain, Rabbi. I have to test my blood sugar when I really want to be lighting the sabbath candles. I forgot all about the High Holy Days this year because I was so busy counting carbs in the Challah, bagels and honey cake.

Rabbi, please, what solace can you offer me? What words of wisdom? Surely you would tell me to just forget about this diabetes thing and go shopping, right?

Please write soon,
Riva

***
Dear Riva,

Santa and I just returned from the Caribbean, and he told me about your difficulty. He said he told you to look for the gift in your diabetes. I concur with Santa; there are many gifts to be found in diabetes, if you look. For one, my child, you won’t have to drink the traditional Manishewitz holiday wine anymore. The Counsel all agree that it is much too sweet. Bring out the Chardonnay!

When Santa asks you to look for a gift in your diabetes, he is not saying this because you are not Catholic and he is not bringing you anything, although this is true. He is speaking like our brothers the Buddhists, who profess that there is a gift in everything if you look for something positive that it can bring into your life.

Let me tell you a story, my child. My own Aunt Sheila had diabetes, and after she stopped kvetching, she went to a spa and learned how to eat healthfully. She shopped along Rodeo Drive and bought a cute little jogging outfit and started running. On her jog along the ocean she met her fourth husband, Marvin, and they’re very happy. They just moved into a $6 million mansion in Jupiter, Fla. — right next to Burt Reynolds! Everyone’s plotzing! The house was in foreclosure so they have even more money to decorate!

Darling girl, find a gift in your diabetes, because to be honest, since you’re not orthodox, and all I have are these great wigs I got on sale from my cousin Schlomo, I’m not bringing you anything, either. And really, it’s not very pleasant to whine.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi, Local Union 107

***
Dear Rabbi,

I thought about what you and Santa said and have decided to become a Buddhist. I picked up the Dalai Lama’s book, “The Art of Happiness.” He says, “Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” I told my friend Joe I like butterflies, and I like the robe, so these aren’t bad gifts.

Joe said the quote meant that we are the source of our happiness, that happiness can only come from inside us, regardless of what happens in our lives. Hmm, I said, maybe I need to learn more. So I booked a flight to Tibet.

Now if only I didn’t have to drag all this damn diabetes stuff with me…. ohm… ohm… oy.

This year I also posted this on a great diabetes newsmagazine you should check out if you haven’t already, asweetlife.org. And onTuDiabetes, a social media community.

Free Classes at Type 1 University: A holiday gift just for you

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CDE/pump trainer and author, Gary Scheiner, is offering free online diabetes classes throughout the month of January. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to relearn carb counting, lose weight on insulin, make better use of your pump or CGM and more. Gary offers 10 different classes to help you brush up on your management.

T1 University’s online one hour classes are available to anyone who uses insulin and parents and caregivers. 

Pre-registration is required, so take a look, check out this 10 minute sample class and then sign up today. 

You’ll be glad you did.

Back from the International Diabetes Federation World Congress in Dubai

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The lovely David Edelman of DiabetesDaily.com (with a friend)

It’s been an amazing two and a half weeks. December 2nd I left New York for the International Diabetes Federation World Congress in Dubai. 

More than 15,000 attendees arrived for the conference and I reported its opening on the Huffington Post. 

In between running to press briefings I got to hang with a number of fellow diabetes bloggers and do a night on the Dubai-town. 

Pictured here are Cherise Shockley of Diabetes Social Media Advocacy, Elizabeth and David Edelman of DiabetesDaily.com and Manny Hernandez of Diabetes Hands Foundation and TuDiabetes.

Here is the Congress in pictures(and captions), thanks to my husband and newly minted press photographer.