I am wrapping up this decade with one last longepisode, but I promise, it is worth listening to the very end and entertaining if nothing else. The theme of this episode is knowing the difference between being a constant, and being a pest. Monica backs this motto by providing actionable items and tips to help us relinquish fear and get involved. Her demeanor is calm and her voice is soft, but her words are powerful and changing lives for all people living with diabetes. (more…)
Chris and his wife Candace are honest, vulnerable and a little sappy at times, but are the perfect reminder there are still good ones out there. You know, the ones who support you and your diabetes through the good, the bad and a serious hypo while educating their three kiddos along the way. Together, they resonate love, compassion and a supportive partnership and are role models for us all – diabetes or not. (more…)
Honesty and perspective–two traits people with diabetes cherish from those who give us advice about food. Christina has both. Having served with Ryan at Camp Blue Hawk on the medical staff, he was ready to pick her brain about her thoughts on paleo vs vegan, parenting pitfalls in diet, and how she found dietetics. The result? A conversation that stays open-minded and focuses on the big picture: steady blood sugars without compromise to long-term longevity. Oh, and as a show first, Amber arrived midway through the conversation by surprise. (more…)
The DDG team is honored to be advisory board members for OU Harold Hamm Diabetes Center’s Camp Blue Hawk, a 5-day residential camp for children with type 1 diabetes that focuses on improving camper’s quality of life. In this podcast we chatted with high school student, twin, cello/bass playing and volleyball champion, Paul and his mother. He shares his honest reflection on what camp was like with stories of clean latrines, good food and forgetting he had diabetes. (more…)
The DDG recently met Dave Thomas, a T2D who raised a ton of cash for the American Diabetes Association, Tour de Cure. He was a total hoot and fulfilled the DDG mission of Real Support For The Diabetic Life, by honestly answering the questions we presented.
1. What would you like to tell all of those people who don’t understand the type 2 diabetes diagnosis? All the people that I run into who don’t understand diabetes have never taken the time to look into it or someone with diabetes hasn’t taken the time to explain it to them. There are a lot of stereotypes associated with being diabetic. I would like for them to ask me about it when they see me checking my sugar, or in my case taking some insulin. It would open up a great conversation about my diabetes and an opportunity to educate them. If it’s someone I know pretty well I could share what to look for if I am high or low. Just about everybody in my office knows now that I have diabetes. It didn’t always used to be that way. I still get the occasional remark, “you can’t eat that, you’re diabetic”. I just smile and talk to them later.
2.You’ve been a diabetes activist and fundraiser for a few diabetes organizations. What advice could you give them in order to get more people involved? You have to be passionate about it. Sharing about diabetes and educating people whenever and wherever you can. You can wait to raise money at the time of the event but then that’s is all you do. If you want to bring awareness to the facts and the effects of diabetes then you have to be an advocate year round.
