Comment & Click for American Diabetes Month
I’m a total thief, but only for a good cause. I got the idea from my friend Rachel over at Tales of my 30’s who got the idea from Hotprofessional. Last month, that website donated money to a breast cancer charity based on comments and stats. Rachel is doing it for American Diabetes Month, which starts today, donating money to ipump.org, an organization that helps people who need diabetes supplies, and Taking Control of Your Diabetes. TCOYD educates and motivates “people with diabetes so that they may live better lives now”. I’m jumping on the band wagon because I think this is a brilliant idea.
So here’s the deal. I consider myself an advocate for improved mental health services for people with diabetes. From the bottom of my heart, I believe that the foundation of a happy, healthy life with diabetes is emotional wellbeing. Some people say it’s education, but I disagree. If you’re depressed, anxious, fearful, grieving, in denial or in some other compromised psychological state, you won’t learn and retain the information you need to manage diabetes, and you won’t make good decisions about your diabetes care.
As I see it, the sad part about this reality is that the resources that help people with the mental wellness side of diabetes are far too limited, and that makes me completely bonkers. I would never discount the value of knowing one’s target BG or how to achieve it. Obviously, that’s pretty darn important, but knowing how to sustain that every day for the rest of your life, knowing how to stay motivated, knowing how to make it a priority in the face of all the challenges life can bring, is a whole other matter, a matter that not enough health care professionals or organizations adequately address.
There are some exceptions though.
For every comment I receive during American Diabetes Month, November 1st to 30th, I will donate a quarter to the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, up to $200. According to BDI’s Mission:
Living well with diabetes takes time, knowledge, and effort. And diabetes can be tough to handle. Many people become overwhelmed, frustrated, or “burned out” by the daily hassles of diabetes and by the unending, often burdensome self-care demands. Many report feeling angry, guilty, frightened, discouraged, or unmotivated about diabetes. Relationships may become strained.
Addressing these real-life emotional aspects of diabetes is critical for long-term success, yet often they are given little attention in common medical practice. The BDI was created to better recognize, understand, and tackle these problems. To accomplish these tasks, the BDI provides:
1. Clinical services for people with diabetes. Diabetes-specific psychological support programs and behaviorally-based education and training in diabetes self-management are provided in group-based settings. All BDI programs are designed to help people with diabetes overcome the emotional and behavioral obstacles to living well with the disease. Through such programs, participants develop an improved outlook on life as well as greater confidence and control over diabetes.
2. Professional services for health care professionals. Comprehensive training programs in behavioral diabetes interventions for physicians, dietitians, nurses, diabetes educators, mental health professionals, and other health care providers.
3. Research programs. Ongoing research projects which aim to evaluate and document the efficacy of behavioral interventions as integral parts of diabetes care, additions to standard diabetes education programs, and as stand-alone projects.
One of my other very favorite diabetes causes is Diabetes Hands Foundation. So on World Diabetes Day, November 14th, for every page visit, as calculated by the Wordpress stat counter, I will donate a quarter to DHF, up to $200. DHF is “focused on connecting people touched by diabetes (those with diabetes as well as their loved ones) and raising diabetes awareness.” They do this with the social networks, TuDiabetes and EsTuDiabetes, and they regularly use arts-based initiatives to raise diabetes awareness and encourage healing through creative expression. That latter part always makes me giddy, needless to say.
I hope you’ll help me by clicking, commenting, and encouaraging others to do the same. Please go to Rachel’s website and do the same. Let’s make this American Diabetes Month wonderful, let’s raise awareness, and let’s help some great diabetes organizations continue their much needed work.
*Please remember, if you’ve never left a comment before, I have to approve your comment before it appears. Also, my spam filter occasionally captures a legitimate comment for reasons unbeknownst to me. I generally check the comments in my spam filter a few times a week, at which time I’ll approve any misplaced comments. If you leave a comment, it doesn’t appear, and you’re concerned, feel free to send a quick email, or let me know via Twitter or Facebook.
awesomeness
Comment by Rachel — November 1, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
cha-ching. Someday I’ll have the resources to do this.
Comment by sajabla — November 1, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
Total awesomeness! I will have to do this next year when I am a bit more $$$ stable. You know I am with you on the mental health aspect, we need this so much and services are lacking. Raise awareness now!
Comment by suzanne — November 1, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
What they said.
Good stuff. Go you, go Rachel! Here’s to a great cause Ladies.
Comment by Crystal — November 1, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
Thanks for your site.. My son was dx on 10-01-09
I am wondering how to add the diabetes awareness box on my blog….like you have above
thanks
Comment by alix — November 1, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
So great! and I agree 100% with this…
“If you’re depressed, anxious, fearful, grieving, in denial or in some other compromised psychological state, you won’t learn and retain the information you need to manage diabetes, and you won’t make good decisions about your diabetes care.”
Comment by JaimieH — November 1, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
What an awesome idea, Lee Ann. I’ll comment for a cure, every day.
Comment by Kerri. — November 1, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
Thanks for raising awareness and donating money. You’re doing good things and I appreciate it.
Comment by Cynthia — November 1, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
OK
How ’bout some new videos of Dexter, so we can see how he’s grown?
Comment by Minnesota Nice — November 1, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
Great idea!
Comment by Colleen — November 1, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
What a wonderful thing to do. As always, you ROCK!!!
Comment by Karen — November 1, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
I’m commenting for a cure, awareness, depression, eating disorders and education:) yeppie!
Comment by Cherise — November 1, 2009 @ 11:02 pm
Hooray, what a great idea. Can’t wait to see how it turns out
Good luck!
Comment by Judie — November 2, 2009 @ 1:13 am
hmmm. Ok. I’ll play your game
Comment by Chris — November 2, 2009 @ 10:03 am
Thanks for posting links to great resources!
Comment by Rebecca — November 2, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Wow, I come back to reality from a complete drop into the “realm of overwhelmness” and find that you have posted a resource that is very useful and applicable to my current situation/state of mind! That is just not coincidence! Thank you for posting and I’ll be visiting Rachel too!
Comment by Jolie30 — November 2, 2009 @ 9:27 pm
This is an awesome thing you are doing!I totally agree that while education for both those with diabetes and those without is important one has to look at where the individual is. If someone is overwhelmed by the diagnosis they are not in a state to learn. It is a lot to take in and process for the individual as well as the family. It is a family illness as it requires the whole family to get on board in order to succeed.
Comment by DoriS — November 2, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
I applaude your hard work and dedication!!
Comment by KimW — November 3, 2009 @ 6:57 am
Woohoo! Great idea! I’m hoping you get so many comments, you can’t keep up!
Comment by Lorraine — November 3, 2009 @ 9:44 am
Lovely idea. Thank you for making me aware of the importance of mental health care for people with diabetes and their families.
Comment by Yum — November 3, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
This is great stuff. I too feel strongly about the mental health side of living with diabetes and that the resources are way too limited.
I love Dr. Polonsky and the folks at BDI.
Comment by Scott K. Johnson — November 8, 2009 @ 11:07 am