This morning B came out to me in tears. J told him something that upset him and it took a little prodding for B to spill what it was.
I wasn’t too concerned; J likes to get B all riled up about things. I think it might be his way of showing he is older and wiser. (J is just a few inches taller than B, but he is an entire 4 years older.)
So apparently J told B that they have found a cure for diabetes. BUT, the “insulin companies” bought the cure and won’t let anyone use it. He said they are hiding it because they make too much money selling insulin.
When I confronted J with what he said, he was fully convinced that what he was saying was true. After all, so and so at school told him.
“Well,” I said, “So and so is wrong.”
There was a long conversation after, where I had to admit that MAYBE pharmaceutical companies aren’t TRYING to find a cure, because yes, they are making a lot of money off us. But then I promised both the boys, that somewhere in the world, right that minute, there were scientists looking for a cure. I told them I didn’t know how close they were. Maybe next year, maybe in 100 years, but they were trying none the less.
Both the boys seemed satisfied with my answer. I, on the other hand, am not.
I didn’t lie; I do believe there is someone out there tirelessly working to find the cure. But honestly, I wonder how a cure will ever be found when a majority of the world’s population doesn’t even know what Type 1 Diabetes is. The majority of the world has no idea what my/your days are like. NO IDEA.
This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I just read an article on my Yahoo home page stating that there is a movement from Breast Cancer Survivors to get the pink merchandise to go away. They are tired of the commercialization of Breast Cancer. And although I do see how they feel, I can’t help but wonder what the world would be like with Blue everywhere. Blue cleats on football players, blue Pyrex mixing bowls, blue circles on half of the products at the grocery store. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that people took our disease seriously? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that people were educated on the symptoms and auto-immune causes of Type 1? Wouldn’t it be nice to say, “My child has Juvenile Diabetes,” without having to explain what it is?
Yes, it would be nice. We need to up our game. World Diabetes Day needs to be put in the spotlight. There needs to be a campaign educating the public on what Type 1 Diabetes is. Once people stop confusing Type 1 and Type 2, maybe they will have more empathy for our cause. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll open their pocket books, and we’ll be able to get some serious curing accomplished within our children’s lifetime.
Anyway, my brain is working tirelessly today thinking of what I can do to make a difference...
I have a headache.
Oh...your boys..how frustrating and disheartening to hear that info!
ReplyDeleteI read that same article on Yahoo this morning and had the EXACT same thoughts as you. I'm tired...too....of having to explain what exactly she has- that she'll NEVER outgrow it-that insulin is NOT a cure- that yes, she can eat sweets and have sugar and NO- we can't put her on a special diet and it will just go away!!!
I'll have a headache with you.
Funny you mention this today, I have a blog post that is written....waiting to be posted but I feel to guilty posting it because it could easily be misunderstood......
ReplyDeleteThe post is all about this same thing....PINK. Pink was even on our PIZZA BOX when we ordered pizza the other night! PINK is everywhere!! I always mention to Maddison that before I die, I will see to it that BLUE is everywhere. Serisously....just like you, I think BLUE needs the awareness. DESERVES the awareness too! This entire world knows about PINK. What about BLUE that is pretty darn close to being right up there with PINK!!?? If people only knew.......there would be BLUE.
We will get there. I know BLUE will be seen eventually. Unfortunetly, BLUE is an epidemic. Even Type 1 BLUE is seemingly so these days compared to years past! It would be nice if we could start with a new name....I think whats stopping BLUE is the fact that people (even doctors!!) think Type 2 is "controlled" entirely by choices. How sad. We will get there....one blog at a time! Hmmmm...if you think of something else we can do, just say the word and I'm with ya!!!
BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE...
ReplyDeleteCan you hear me chanting. I'm with ya...us D Mom Bloggers need to come up with a BLUE PLAN!!!!!
oh meri im so sorry how disheartening . Yes all of us d moms and I am one of them and am a t1 too . all of us want a blue movement in this country . Yeah Go Blue hey is that not the north carolina s duke unniversitys team color ?? If so go blue both ways !!! I m so with all of you .
ReplyDeleteI'd love to do something too, but this tired old brain just can't come up with any good ideas. I might try getting the guy who designed our Team Elise shirt to come up with a simple design... like a blue circle on a white shirt, get a bunch printed up and start wearing them... Maybe it will peak people's curiosity. Or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteEither way, I think it will make a cute shirt, and make me feel like I'm doing my part to shout out about T1.
We went to La Jolla a couple of weeks ago for the CWD conference, and on Sunday night (after it ended) we went to a little local Italian restaurant for dinner - where the football game happened to be on. I saw with my family watching all the pink on all the NFL players, refs, fans and so on and told my husband that JDRF (or the ADA or whatever organization can do it) needs a marketing/media machine to take over the way that breast cancer has had. In the last 10 years the amount of publicity for breast cancer has increased exponentially - and it's a worthy, worthy cause....I have friends and family who have lost loved ones to breast cancer, and it's horrible...but diabetes DOES kill far more people every year than breast cancer. It should be just as recognized, just as supported, just as focused upon.
ReplyDeleteBlue circle shirts are a good start!
oops, that "sat with my family", not saw with my family.
ReplyDeleteWhere's that spellcheck when I need it?!
I just wanted to let you know that the people at world diabetes day (I think) was trying to get google to change their google symbol and use the blue ring is some way on world diabetes day. You know how they do that...incorporate a symbol or picture into their google logo on their search page? Well they said NO not this year but maybe next....whatever :(
ReplyDeleteAlso as Beth said "diabetes DOES kill far more people every year than breast cancer" I posted this new paper article on my blog a few months ago http://wecaralot.blogspot.com/2009/05/reality-check-in-paper.html (not sure if this will make a link?)
GO BLUE!!
I am SO with you! It's only been 6 months & I'm already tired. I swear, if one more person says "it will get better" I'm going to go mad!
ReplyDeleteI love the shirt idea! And I totally love the idea of educating the world just how serious T1 is. Let's do it!
Not sure I can say " Go Blue". I'm a huge Ohio State fan - and Michigan... Well, go blue is their thing. How about Go World Diabetes Day?
We can do this- bloggers unite!
I agree with what has been said! Sorry B was so upset though. That is hard to watch them cry over their diabetes.
ReplyDeleteMe again. My mom (of my 2 T1 siblings) is a breast cancer survivor...she says the same thing...she wishes T1 got half as much attention as Race for a Cure. ..because cancer CAN be cured...T1 can't...because T1 as she said affects such innocent children....we tease her about being the Anti-Komen which since she is a breast cancer survivor, we can get away with...but it's true...if people really knew about T1 then that pink would be replaced or at least matched by blue.
ReplyDelete(Of course, no disrespect for that cause...obviously I believe in it or my mom might not be here today....) but you know what i am saying :)