We have received a communication from another organization expressing concern over the fact that we are offering strips as part of the prizes for the four winning photos of the weekly rounds of the Word In Your Hand contest we are holding throughout this month.
We would appreciate your open and honest feedback about this: Do you consider giving away prizes such as strips, which we use as part of our daily diabetes management, objectionable in some way? If so, please tell us why. If not, please let us know, so we may gather your feedback as well.
Why on earth would this be a problem? Was this a competitor of One Touch that has the issues? I think any diabetic would be happy to take free strips any day. =) I know I would!
Actually, were I to win, I would request that my prize be given to someone without insurance. Of course, I don’t really know how y’all would go about deciding who the lucky recipient would be, so I wasn’t sure how that would work.
I question how this is different from a post I put on the site a few weeks ago offering up two meters that I had never used and was offering them up to anyone that wanted them. My post was removed.
Karen,
We have sent you an email regarding this. As long as the item is “OTC - Over the Counter” it can be posted to give away. Any post may have been removed in error.
I believe you should do what you want with your strips. Do not be bullied by other websites. We all could use a break from buying test strips. Having diabetes is an expensive disease. Why shouldn’t every one have a chance to not pay for strips.
If other sites have a problem they can contact One touch or other meter companies directly and maybe they will give them test strips to give away to those in need.
If it’s an equal opportunity contest I don’t understand the problem. That’s like saying any contest or sponsor can’t give away “X” prize because the potential winner may already own whatever the sponsor is giving away or can afford to buy it. Perhaps the sponsor could make the donation of strips to a charitable organization, such as IPump, in the name of the winners.
No Manny I think it’s a good idea! Like you said we use them everyday and ppl sometimes can’t afford to buy them so why would it be a problem?? We HAVE to have them and that’s that!
These strips are neither the foundation’s (Diabetes Hands Foundation, the nonprofit that runs TuDiabetes) nor mine, personally. They have been furnished by the sponsor of the prizes of this contest and we don’t even have them in our hands right now.
I cannot speak about other websites. We simply cannot afford the retail value of the strips to purchase to give away: that is why we look for a company to furnish them. If this hadn’t been the case, we would have offered something different as a prize, like we have in the past.
We are starting to consider suggesting the donation of the prize to a nonprofit such as iPump.org as an option to the winners, if they want to do so, in order to make the benefit of 200 free strips available to people who cannot afford them.
That sounds like a good idea, I have the VA and they furnish mine for me. If you can’t afford them, then I say take them as the prize but if your insurance pays for them, then donate to someone that cannot afford them. Great Idea Manny.
Strips are a great & appropriate prize. Can’t imagine why anyone would object or take offense. I got one freebie sample, the usual 20 strips, from my doctor & was thrilled.
To reply to the suggestions that the winners give away the prizes to a more in need person or organization, my two cents is that this is a lovely gesture. Nice option for the winners, if they choose to.
