Everywhere I go I see the color pink to promote Breast Cancer awareness. Companies turn products pink, it's on food labels, athletes even add it to their uniforms. I DON"T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. Breast cancer has affected my family as well as many others and it's an important cause. (And pink is my favorite color) :)
I'm just wondering why I haven't seen any blue anywhere to promote diabetes awareness. Have I missed it? Or is that just one more point to prove that there isn't enough awareness and education for diabetes?
i don't think it's necessarily unawareness of the disease (pretty much everyone knows someone who is affected)-- i think it's an unawareness of available programs and fundraisers. susan g. komen is out there putting their name on everything, putting commercials on tv, and having tons of fundraising efforts (t-shirts, walks, product labeling,etc.) JDRF and the ADA aren't as visible as other organizations. however, in des moines the susan g. komen walk raised close to 27,000 this year. the JDRF walk raised over 1.5mil. somehow, the word is out there. we just aren't as aware of it as we are of other things :o)
i think both are fantastic causes. i'm glad to see dollars going to any sort of research and not just going to the CEO of some random company.
I dont even think that anyone would know what the blue meant...cause honestly..i had neverreally cared until i was diagnosed in july....and no there is definetely not enough awareness.
I think there is a bigger problem. Type 1 has to latch onto Type 2. Type 2 is seen as a lifestyle disease. Therefore, not a lot of sympathy for diabetes as a whole. Earlier this week I posted a facebook exchange I was having with a friend, an exchange that resulted from me posting some statistics about diabetes. She ended up sending me a message privately to explain her view. Here's what she wrote:
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I started typing this whole thing about Type I and II and how I didn't want a bunch of research and money to be spent trying to figure out how to treat Type II--with our current diet induced epidemic of the condition, the drug companies know where the money is and I'm afraid that's where the emphasis is going to go as far as research is concerned and it PISSES ME OFF. I know fat people who don't have it (ex husband's mother was sort of disappointed that she never "developed" it when the rest of her family--sister and 3 sons--did. she always seemed the most at home when she was sick) but I don't know anyone with Type II who isn't fat and doesn't eat shit and lots of it. I'm afraid that drug companies are seeing their pot of gold, are banking on even more people being sick (oh goody they think) and they are busy inventing (expensive) ways to "manage" the disease. I'm afraid that Type I--the more rare disease that seems like a freak of nature (although it also seems to be on the rise for some reason--you mentioned the number of kids at RCHS with the disease and it alarmed me)--will be ignored because it's not as profitable. I want the science to be turned toward Type I and I want a cure--not just a treatment--to be invented. I'm just afraid the science is going to follow the money, treating Type II (keep people sick with the disease but make a mint treating it)--when it should be focused on curing your son so he can dance dance dance (I don't want his beautiful limbs amputated and I don't want him blind and I don't want him dead before he's had a long, dancing life.).
I think there is a bigger problem. Type 1 has to latch onto Type 2. Type 2 is seen as a lifestyle disease. Therefore, not a lot of sympathy for diabetes as a whole. Earlier this week I posted a facebook exchange I was having with a friend, an exchange that resulted from me posting some statistics about diabetes. She ended up sending me a message privately to explain her view. Here's what she wrote:
>>>
I started typing this whole thing about Type I and II and how I didn't want a bunch of research and money to be spent trying to figure out how to treat Type II--with our current diet induced epidemic of the condition, the drug companies know where the money is and I'm afraid that's where the emphasis is going to go as far as research is concerned and it PISSES ME OFF. I know fat people who don't have it (ex husband's mother was sort of disappointed that she never "developed" it when the rest of her family--sister and 3 sons--did. she always seemed the most at home when she was sick) but I don't know anyone with Type II who isn't fat and doesn't eat *** and lots of it. I'm afraid that drug companies are seeing their pot of gold, are banking on even more people being sick (oh goody they think) and they are busy inventing (expensive) ways to "manage" the disease. I'm afraid that Type I--the more rare disease that seems like a freak of nature (although it also seems to be on the rise for some reason--you mentioned the number of kids at RCHS with the disease and it alarmed me)--will be ignored because it's not as profitable. I want the science to be turned toward Type I and I want a cure--not just a treatment--to be invented. I'm just afraid the science is going to follow the money, treating Type II (keep people sick with the disease but make a mint treating it)--when it should be focused on curing your son so he can dance dance dance (I don't want his beautiful limbs amputated and I don't want him blind and I don't want him dead before he's had a long, dancing life.).
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Thank you Angie for this great post. You have really inspired me to do something I have been thinking about for awhile. I'm done with Diabetes. I demand to have the name of Type 1 Diabetes or the name of Type 2 Diabetes changed. Here is my thinking behind it. If we get enough people to want to change the name then we can focus on curing the Type 1's out there. A cure for Diabetes translates to no more money for the lifestyle disease (Type 2) however a cure for insert whatever name here autoimmune disease (formerly known as Type 1) wouldn't really stop companies from making the money they do. Yes I realize not all T2 are T2 because of something they did however no T1 is T1 because of something they did. So I want a new name and I want a cure.
A few months before I joined juvenation I wrote the CDC and WHO and got no response. Maybe if enough people wrote we would get a response. I think the JDRF is awesome for bringing awareness to our disease, funding research and sending children to camp, but honestly have they really ever done anything that actually puts us closer to a cure? No.
So even though your friend wasn't the nicest person to you the other night I'm going to have to agree with her tonight.
Yes I realize not all T2 are T2 because of something they did however no T1 is T1 because of something they did. So I want a new name and I want a cure.
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Ahh, I have been thinking about this lately as well. T1 diabetics seem to fall under T2's shadows. If you were to walk up to any random person and say "Hey, I have diabetes!" A majority of people would probably assume it is because of a lifestyle choice.
And I do agree Shauna, if we were to get a different name, I believe it would raise more awareness. So instead of
You: "I have diabetes." and someone possibly assuming T2, it would be more like
You: "I have [insert name here]" and people would either know what you had or inquire about it instead of assuming
Yes I realize not all T2 are T2 because of something they did however no T1 is T1 because of something they did. So I want a new name and I want a cure.
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Ahh, I have been thinking about this lately as well. T1 diabetics seem to fall under T2's shadows. If you were to walk up to any random person and say "Hey, I have diabetes!" A majority of people would probably assume it is because of a lifestyle choice.
And I do agree Shauna, if we were to get a different name, I believe it would raise more awareness. So instead of
You: "I have diabetes." and someone possibly assuming T2, it would be more like
You: "I have [insert name here]" and people would either know what you had or inquire about it instead of assuming
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This is why I believe in the future Savs...because of people like you!
Thanks for saying it way better than i ever could :)
College football referees wore one blue sleeve at games a couple of weeks ago. It was like the pink thing, but was to raise awareness (and money) for prostate cancer research.
You all have very good points. I know that a lot of people are involved with fund raising and I am truly grateful. I'm also thankful for the Public Service Announcements by celebrities I've seen on TV. Type 1 Diabetes needs a "gimmick" as attention getting as the whole pink ribbon thing so that more people can be educated and get involved with the effort to find a cure! I think changing the name would be a good start!
aww, thanks Shauna (: you are a great friend as well!
DDrumminMan, that is another problem I think.
When you think "pink" breast cancer comes to mind first, although pink also represents cleft palates and other things, but blue for us is diabetes, blue for anyone else could be prostate cancer, child abuse, or other things that blue represent.
It is an awareness issue.
I have a question. Why are the JDRF bands orange, world diabetes day blue, and diabetes ribbons gray?