How are you involved with the Diabetes Community offline? (past or present)
To tell you a little about myself, I’ve had Type 1 Diabetes for 26 years and have never done a walk for diabetes. Sad but true. I have donated money, but never participated in any Diabetes related activities in the community (not even Diabetes Camp when I was younger).
As far as my online Diabetes participation, well I have been around since 2002, trying to give support to all I meet online. Is this the lazy way of giving back? hmm! I can eat chips and salsa (with a side of macaroni salad) while posting my replies, hey!
It blows my mind (in a positive way) to see PWD that have only been diagnosed a few months/years hosting weekly support groups, biking 300 miles, climbing mountains peaks and writing long novels, all for the sake of Diabetes. Thanks.
TuD Friend Danny …supper first …later I will answer … I probably even have forgotten some experiences , since it has been soooo long I am involved …darn good question !!
And for me it is not about : mountains, cycling , writing …just about me living with D and getting the message out …the simple gal !!
Being involved with on-line communities for eight years is hardly a lazy way of helping. That’s quite a lot of personal support & energy contributed, not to mention all the smiles.
I’m not running, biking or climbing mountains, but have considered writing a novel. Then I had another bowl of macaroni salad & thought better of the idea:)
Hey Danny, Your sounding like me here! LOL! I did do a little with my daughter in Diabetes camp when she was younger but now I tend to donate to things and take an intrest in the online commuinit but other than that don’t do much but only with my daughter and g-kids.
I’ve known people at work with diabetes type II for a long time, but have never known any type 1s like myself – which is the reason I reached out to the online community when I was recently diagnosed – I needed to have it confirmed, even if through cyberspace rather than flesh and blood, that I wasn’t the only one out there with this thing!
And… I’m looking forward to helping out/connecting in a more “macro” way in the future, but for now it’s enough for me to be more “micro” (which is what I am more naturally comfortable with anyway) and be supportive one on one. That basically means doing the online thing as well as being close to my type II friends at work.
Good note to self, Danny. Let us know of any other silliness we need to divest you of. See, bad sentence & why I won’t be writing any novels.
Well sir, you were one of the first people I met on this community. In a way you help me get back out and do things when I could not do much because of the state I was in at the time. So in a way you are a catalyst to get other people moving.
This year I rode the Tour de Cure from San Marcos Texas to Austin Texas. It was a 24 mile bike ride. I started at 120 and endended up at 100 through all 24 miles I never went over 150 and never dropped below 90. Thanks to the people I met early on here I was able to put my life in the right track. So your online participation extends out to the real world even if its a lazy way.
Also I remember your should surgery so it helps me get through a nasty bike spill I took that got me some nasty road rash, bruise ribs, and a few stitches in my arm. This happened 3 weeks before the bike ride.
Maybe online is the way to go in addition to off line ??..
No , Danny your way is not the lazy way !..love your discussions …novel ways to get me thinking and doing !
Here is my offline story , which I will make short( ???) ; after all involved for over 26 years ! During my life with a FT job on the side and since 1999 during my retirement years . All with the support of Hubby !!.
Have chaired Canadian Diabetes Association Expo’s , chaired support groups , presently chairing a pumpers group , advocacy work with the Association , which made me travel to Ottawa, ( Federal Government ) Victoria ( Provincial Government ) volunteered at the 2009 IDF Conference in Montreal , where I met TuD member FatCatAnna 
, fund raise for the Association ; have done 10 events with Team Diabetes Canada , including 4 international events; have celebrated my last 2 birthdays with CDA’s Diabetes Summer Surge fund raiser: this brought fam. members from afar , including the Netherlands …the present one closes on August 20 . Have participated as a PWD in the dissemination and implementation of the 2008 CDA’s Clinical Guide lines . Our small but powerful Lions Club raised $ 5,000.00 on World Diabetes Day , 2008 with a walk to send British Columbia kids to Diabetes Camp.
Have done a JDRF walk and support folks cycling from one side of Canada to other side with JDRF , through H2V , Cyclebetes , esp if they come through our community !
I need to clear up , what Danny said about carrying the Olympic Torch: …it was through my advocacy with CDA , that I got to know my member of the Legislative Assembly quite well .He nominated me , because of the involvement with this organization , besides participating in regular exercise ( Team Diabetes ) … Hubby and I tried to create more awareness by having supporters, involved with diabetes , carry Team D signs during my 300 meters of carrying the Torch …in effect, it was Diabetes , that may me do it . The Olympic Torch uniform was just that : no other pins, etc, to be worn .
Presently Regional Chair for the Association for 2 years and hope to continue, in my way , to make a difference for PWD . I like to see some issues addressed , which I will share , if successful .
PS am involved with the SPCA and other organizations .