I have been thinking about asking this question for a while now. It is important that we do our share in spreading education. With a cooperative effort we can make this a November to Remember! November is a time to bring information to the general public. Diabetes does not have the publicity and marketing machine like breast cancer and AIDS when it should. Per the ADA website more people die with diabetes than breast cancer and AIDS combined. I feel really bad about this. We will have to do a grassroots effort to get the word out about our disease and lifestyle.
I have made a list of ideas on how to spread education and awareness to non diabetics, children and pre-diabetics etc. Some people will listen and some won't. The important thing is the information is there for them.
Thanks!
- Write an article about your experiences and send it to a local magazine or newspaper. if you have a diabetic child encourage them to write about their experiences and do the same thing.
- explain the differences between Type 2, Type 1.5,and Type 1. Lots of people don't know including some diabetics.
- Use twitter and Facebook to reach out to others that are non diabetic. Use hashtags that you have not used for diabetes and spread a factoid.
- Something i do is twitter lots of celebrities about diabetes. send a factoid or ask if hey have a diabetic in the family.
- Ask your local church or religious place to print diabetic factoids in Sunday church bulletins.
- At work ask them to post diabetic or nutrition factoids on thebulletin board. Provide them with the information and references.
- Put signs on telephone poles/bookstores/coffee shop in your neighborhood with diabetic and nutrition factoids.
- Go to your children’s school and inquire about the nutritional value in the school lunches.
- Ask local media television and radio to articles about diabetes. PSA (public service announcements) are free on the radio (last I remembered)
- Call your local alderman, supervisor, councilman, representative, PTA, congressman and find out what they are doing for diabetes awareness.
- Create a support local group and have a meeting. As we know support is very important.
- Go to any diabetic clinics or hospitals and let then know about the diabetic online presence. (diabetic community blogs, personal blogs, informative diabetic news sites) most of these folks don’t have clue. Make flyers and leave them if possible.
- If department stores and grocery stores are doing things for breast cancer ask if they are doing anything for diabetes and how can you help.
- If you have a farmers market in your area, get some fellow diabetes and have a “Ask the diabetic” booth.
- Teach the children about health food choices.
- Call up diabetic suppliers (ie, pfizer, merck, medtronic) and ask what are they giving discounts during November???
- Call up food manufacturers and ask what are they doing for diabetic awareness and do they have diabetic friendly foods. I did this with Lean Cuisine and they constantly send me coupons for there foods. Ask why don’t they have diabetic friendly foods. I am also working with Whole Foods on this too. They Breast Cancer awareness let open their eyes to our awareness.
- Share supplies with some one. If you have extra test strips and such it could be a big help to some one in need. I am not endorsing prescriptions sharing (you will be on your own with that one)
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This is just a partial list. I know there are other good ideas too. I want us to share our lives and experiences with others and let people know we are all beautiful.
Diabetes is a lifestyle not a death sentence.