I don't know about you, but all the news about Snowmageddon is making me anxious for spring to get here already--and it doesn't even snow where I live!
Spring doesn't just mean warm weather for us at the Diabetes Hands Foundation. It also marks the anniversary of TuDiabetes and the amazing community that it's become.
This month we'll mark the 6th birthday of TuDiabetes, or as he's sometimes called around here: TuD (Too Dee). And that's cause for celebration. We've come so far in such a short time.
Did you know that together in 2012 TuDiabetes and EsTuDiabetes welcomed three million unique visitors from all over the world? Of course, not all of them stuck around to actually join the community...but that's an astounding number of people who stopped by.
Hopefully, each visitor learned that they don't have to face life with diabetes alone. There is a group of people that knows what it's like to manage all the day-to-day stuff that comes along with living with diabetes. And that group is available to offer support, peer-to-peer, 24-7.
That's the essential work we do at Diabetes Hands Foundation. We provide platforms where people with diabetes and their loved ones can connect and have an open dialog about their experiences with this chronic condition. We believe that no one touched by diabetes should ever feel alone, because together we become stronger and have the power to generate positive change in ourselves and our community.
Later this month we'll be marking TuD's birthday with our spring fundraising campaign. I'm hoping you'll consider making a cash gift to the Diabetes Hands Foundation at that time. Only with support of members like you can we continue to do our essential work.
In the meantime, I would love to hear how TuD has improved your life with diabetes over the past six years.
Corinna, thanks for the great summation of what happens here! Love TooDee.
If not for the community here, I'd probably still be a totally uncontrolled, misdiagnosed T2. TuD literally saved my life. The family we've created on the site, and in chat, is amazing, supportive, funny, knowledgeable, compassionate .... Thank you all for keeping it going so beautifully!
I've always supported the DHF, I am convinced of the good work. But I don't think the rest of the world appreciates how important having support is to managing this condition. I've always felt that my management of diabetes is 90% mental and 10% medical. I have all the medical tools, it is the mental stuff that is hard. And that is why having support is so vital to me.
And I think many people here appreciate that and benefit from tuDiabetes and other work by DHF. I suspect our community will respond. Personally, I am unhappy with all the money I have given to the ADA. I'm not happy with how they have used my donations, I don't feel they have supported me as a patient and I fell like my money has been squandered. One the other hand, I know the DHF will use my money wisely and effectively.
I challenge everyone, if they really believe this is important, make some effort to reach out beyond our community. Tell people outside this community why the work of DHF makes a difference and that it should be supported. I regularly keep my local diabetes center filled with information on DHF. Consider some outreach.
TuD is a good looking guy--can't believe he's 6 already! Very exciting.
In becoming a member of TuDiabetes, I have found a place that is supportive and informative. I love talking with other members who also have their 'ears to the ground' regarding the latest in technology advancements and strategies for managing this disease.
It's great to share in that camaraderie and in knowing that there are others out there, just like me, dealing with the same issues I'm dealing with.
I think TuDiabetes provides a great service, and I look forward to seeing many more years of success for this community!
TuD has been around just about the same amount of time Caleb's been living w D. I'm glad to have found this community where there is sincere support without judgment. It's always been a safe place for me where others understand.
Our focus here at DHF and on TuDiabetes is providing support to people for all the day-to-day, routine (or maybe not so routine!) stuff that makes up life with diabetes. Until there's a cure, as they say, there's still life to be lived.
