Be Your Own Advocate.
With all these diabetes blogs and fundraising walks and keynote speakers and advocacy unicorns, there's a lot going on in the world of diabetes. Jumping into a diabetes advocacy role may seem as daunting as being a Yankees fan when you're the editorial assistant to a die-hard Red Sox fan (hi, Abby). But being an advocate for diabetes doesn't mean you have to blog or speak at events or raise thousands for walk teams. You can raise a lot of awareness in what may feel like the smallest of ways, but can make a difference for just one person. And one is all it takes.
This month's Life, Uninterrupted video is about being your own advocate. And it features Sprinkles. Because unicorn puppets have a place in this, too. ;)
Comments
Haha, I love Sprinkles' slow intro from the bottom!
I'll admit that I really don't feel like an advocate at times. I'm willing to educate anyone who asks about my pump or CGM, but I don't really go out of my way to do so. I guess I'm still finding my place here in the DOC, but finding my purpose as an advocate is a totally different thing. I just want my online presence to be a place to find other diabetic friends to gab with. That's what I advocate for: friendship among other PWDs. =)
Posted by: Holly | April 5, 2011 09:03 AM
Best diabetes video ever? All signs point to "yes!"
Posted by: Jeff | April 5, 2011 09:10 AM
Via--via--via--lin. The English teacher loves that! Great video.
Posted by: Nicole | April 5, 2011 09:28 AM
super cute and super true. My 6 yr. old daughter asked me for the first time, " will i always have diabetes."
I answered, "yes, until there is a cure."
Her reply, brilliantly innocent was, " lets use the internet and find a cure, i am sure it is out there."
Posted by: Hhp | April 5, 2011 10:08 AM
LOL LOVED IT! And it's all true. Great video!
Posted by: Sysy Morales | April 5, 2011 10:09 AM
Kerri,
Well put... This isn't an advocacy competition and people should realize that the small things they do, like you said can go miles...Once we all band together everything gets really loud and that is when people hear us the most, (ie: MTV fiasco)! And when it comes down to it that is really what we want anyway, to make a lot of noise so people hear us...
I think there is a song I can go for miles and miles and miles...something like that. Alright yea i am a dork.
as always you are awesome
Posted by: gina | April 5, 2011 10:25 AM
Amen, sister! One voice... It can change more than you realize. Just like every penny counts, so does every voice!
We, of course, love Sprinkles! Tell him that Sparkles (Sweetpea's unicorn) says HI!!
Posted by: Hallie | April 5, 2011 12:18 PM
TELLING OUR STORIES...that is how we can help.
PS...Can we add mascara'd eyelashes to sprinkles?
Posted by: Reyna Maher | April 5, 2011 08:13 PM
Luuuurve! Oh Kerri, you are the best!
Posted by: Jasmine | April 5, 2011 09:16 PM
I'll be advocating at my local gym, where I was recently asked to confine my glucose testing to the bathroom. (And, by the way, are they allowed to do that legally?) I intend to let them know that my testing my blood in public helps take some of the stigma out of diabetes and finger sticks. That there is nothing unsanitary about it (as long as I'm vigilant about the test strips making to a garbage can). And that there are loads of things one can be squeamish about but that is, well, their problem. So I'm advocating in my own little corner of the universe. But, as Kerri says, every bit counts.
Posted by: Suki | April 5, 2011 09:35 PM
awesome video! i hate the invisibleness of it - if it were more obvious to people they would take it for the serious thing it is.
ah well, the best thing we can do is to spread the word and make people learn and listen!
Posted by: Alissa | April 6, 2011 08:10 AM
Thanks Kerri. Recently I've noticed that the FDA is slowing down approval of devices, including diabetes ones. I think we (DOC) should band together and see if there's a way to engage with the FDA to help with this process.
Posted by: Bernard Farrell | April 6, 2011 10:06 AM
Great video :) Sprinkles ROCKS! Love the message...each of us make a difference where we're at. Everyone counts!
Posted by: Wendy | April 6, 2011 04:07 PM
Thanks for the chuckles. Keep rocking!
Posted by: Jen | April 7, 2011 08:04 PM