Over the past week, the media has been busy discussing the “war between Type1 and Type2s”. Supposedly there has been a hot debate raging regarding changing the name of Type 1 diabetes to any but diabetes. They say that some people with Type 1 diabetes feel that they are wrongfully lumped in with the stereotypes of people with Type 2 diabetes and that it becomes more difficult to lobby for cure funding.
The more I thought about this, the more I began to wonder, what's in a name? Before it was called Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, we had Juvenile and Adult Onset Diabetes. When my son was first diagnosed I definitely wanted a different name. My son's diabetes was nothing like your grandmother's diabetes that she was diagnosed with when she turned 70. My son did not get diabetes from eating too many chocolate bars when he was one. My son would not be "cured" by eating well, exercising and losing 50 pounds...he was less than 20 pounds when he was diagnosed and believe me when I say he didn't have an ounce of fat to spare....
To continue reading my thoughts on the great name debate please go to http://diabetesadvocacycom.blogspot.com/2010/11/diabetes-by-any-other-name.html