Thanks to all the fine contributors who took an active role in "Blogging For A Cure" for diabetes during the month of November, American Diabetes Month.
Extra special thanks to the wonderful people here at Blogcritics for encouraging people to become involved and for becoming involved, themselves, in raising diabetes awareness and fighting for a cure. I want to especially thank Eric Olsen, Natalie Davis, Pete Nelson, Mac Diva and Joe McNally for taking an active role in educating people about diabetes and for encouraging them to take an active role in fighting for a cure as a Diabetes Advocate.
Today may be the final day of American Diabetes Month, but the fight for a cure is not yet over. There are still millions upon millions of people worldwide who suffer from this terribly tragic disease, and each day the number grows. Diabetics are at greater risk for kidney disease and removal, untraumatic limb amputation, heart disease, blindness and other unfortunate health maladies.
The cost of diabetic health care is high, making few insurers cover those with diabetes. Insurers who do cover diabetes have to increase your health insurance fees in order to cover the diabetics who are covered by your health plan. There are things the government could do to help offset this high cost, but instead of acting it simply sits still.
I am not quite 30 years old. I became afflicted with Type 1 "juvenile" diabetes at one year of age. Having suffered from none of the maladies associated with diabetes, I feel that I have been incredibly blessed by God, however, not everyone has been so fortunate.
In April of 2000 I told a House Appropriations Subcommittee about two teenage girls who suffered from this disease. Their mothers told me of diabetic ketoacidosis, vomiting and the inability to hold down food, a lack of energy and other unpleasant things they suffered as a result of diabetes. They were unable to live normal, happy, healthy lives because of diabetes.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
thanks John, very important and worthwhile!
2 - Natalie Davis
You rock, John. Thanks for all you have done for this effort, and thanks for giving me the headsup about this project in late summer. Thanks also to Eric (you and BC rock!) and to Pete and Mac Diva for their great, informative postings.
Here's to a cure!
3 - Pete Nelson
Let me second what Natalie and Eric had to say, John. I hope that you will sponsor this event again next year. I will be leaving my posts up on my site for quite a while, since it's an incredibly important topic.
Thanks to everyone that participated. It was nice to get to "know" some of you a bit through your posts on Blogcritics. Thanks, especially, to Eric for creating this great site. It's way cool!
Let's all hope and pray that the progress that has been made will lead to a cure soon.