Today is Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day. I have supported many worthwhile causes in the past but never once imagined I would support one that so directly affects one of my children. Our lives have forever been changed by Type 1 Diabetes. I believe there will be a cure in Kathleen's lifetime and on that day we will celebrate!! Until then, she lives with this disease and we understand that today is necessary. I realize that many people don't know exactly what Type 1 Diabetes is, and how it differs from it's more common cousin Type 2. Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day is a day where we can all learn exactly what Type 1 diabetes IS and ISN'T.Some facts about Type 1 Diabetes:
* Type 1 Diabetes can strike at any age, it doesn't only target children, though it is more common to get Type 1 Diabetes as a child.
* Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease much like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Multiple Sclerosis. The body has attacked itself, in this case the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
* People with Type 1 Diabetes are completely dependent on insulin to stay alive.
* There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
* You cannot outgrow it.
* It cannot be cured by diet or exercise (or with cinnamon, fish oil, foil hats or any other "cure")
* You do not get it by having a bad diet, or by eating too many sweets.
* Type 1 diabetes is no worse or more severe than Type 2. It is simply different.
* People with Type 1 diabetes are not prohibited from eating sweets. They simply must eat a balanced diet like everyone else.
Type 1 Diabetes isn't:
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't caused by something we did or didn't do to ourselves or our children.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't contagious.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't a death sentence.
* Type 1 Diabetes doesn't prevent us or our children from doing everything possible in life.
Please share this information with as many people as you can. The misconceptions about Type 1 Diabetes are endless and the entire Type 1 Diabetes community is taking this opportunity to put an end to these misconceptions . Through the greater awareness of the truth about Type 1 Diabetes we hope to advance people and organizations who are dedicated to finding a cure.
For more information on Type 1 Diabetes and research towards a cure, please visit:
http://www.jdrf.org/
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.org/
3 comments:
Thank you. I've always wondered, but never bothered looking at this information about diabetes. This went a long way to help me understand!
Thanks for the info...best wishes to kathleen.
Great post. I saw it on CWD but then I found it again here!!
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