JDRF T1D Looks Like Me Campaign
November is Diabetes Awareness Month
I want to start diabetes awareness month by highlighting a social media campaign that the JDRF is sponsoring. The JDRF is inviting people to visit http://jdrf.org/t1dlookslikeme and use their cool web based mini photoshop doohickey to shade a picture of themselves in blue. After the blue tint is applied (all of this takes just a few moments) your photo will be adorned with the "JDRF T1D Looks Like Me" logo and you are then able to download the image and or share it online with one of your social media accounts. Such an easy and wonderful way of putting a face to type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Don't forget the hashtag, #T1DLOOKSLIKEME
You Could Be a Consumer Representative on an FDA Advisory Committee
from fda.gov
By: CAPT Dornette Spell-LeSane, M.S.N., M.H.A., A.N.P.-B.C.
Have you ever wanted to be part of the food and drug regulatory process? Do you have a history of public interest or a passion for consumer advocacy? Do you have experience analyzing scientific data?
CAPT Dornette Spell-LeSane, M.S.N., M.H.A., A.N.P.-B.C.
[Dornette Spell-LeSane] If you answered “Yes,” here’s your opportunity to become an advocate for consumers! The Food and Drug Administration continually seeks input from consumers on scientific and medical issues by including Consumer Representatives on Agency advisory committees.
Participation as a Consumer Representative requires a modest time commitment. Travel expenses are paid and representatives receive reasonable compensation.
Consumer Representatives serve as Special Government Employees on a committee for up to a four-year term. Committees meet 1-3 times annually for 1-2 days. All meetings are held in the Washington, D.C. area. Members receive per-diem and travel expenses and are paid at a GS-15/10 hourly rate for the days attending a meeting.
Consumer Representatives provide the perspective of consumers to advisory committees and do not represent their own personal expertise. Their role is to:
Represent the consumer perspective on issues and actions before the advisory committee;
Serve as a liaison between the committee and interested consumers, associations, coalitions, and consumer organizations; and, Facilitate dialogue with the advisory committees on scientific issues that affect consumers.
if you want to learn more including how to apply... click here.
Have Questions for Dexcom? Ask them here!
Your questions for Dexcom on the Juicebox Podcast...
Soon I'll be interviewing Mike Mensinger from Dexcom for my podcast. Mike is the Director of Mobile and Cloud Services Software Development at Dexcom - in short, Mike knows all about the apps and software at Dexcom and we are going to get to pick his brain, ask questions and offer suggestions.
At the moment we are in the middle of working out a time that works for us and will be recording this podcast episode either in the next few days or sometime next week. If you have something you'd like to add to the conversation don't hesitate. Leaving your thoughts as a comment on this post will help me to keep everything in one place but if you have something that you feel is private to add, feel free to email me.
Thanks in advance for participating! I'll do my best to get everyone's questions in during the time that Mike and I have together. In the meantime you may want to listen to my podcast episodes with Dexcom's CEO Kevin Sayer and their EVP Steve Pacelli.
The Juicebox Podcast is available online, at iTunes, with Stitcher and everywhere fine podcasts are heard.
Diabetes Support on Instagram
Jenna Feely was a recent guest on my podcast where she talked about being diagnosed at thirteen years old, her adolescences with type 1 and her outlook on her life with the disease. About halfway through the conversation I asked Jenna about her advocacy online and she told me about her Instagram page (She has nearly 5,000 followers!), later I asked her if she would write a guest post for Arden's Day about her experience with type 1 advocacy and how she uses her Instagram page to help people. I hope you enjoy her post and take time to listen to her episode, 'Eighteen and Already Amazing'! - Best, Scott
When I am not feeling my best, I seek support. When I am feeling positive, I try to give support.
When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I was 13 years old and I had no idea what type 1 diabetes was. I also didn’t know that social media could have really helped me in that moment. It took me a couple of years to realize that social media could be a huge outlet to connect with others going through the same daily monitoring to take care of themselves.
It can be easy to feel isolated when living with type 1 diabetes.
We have to take care of ourselves, and monitor our health in ways that most will never have to. Whether you prefer Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or other sites that provide support, you can voice your concerns, your worries, your progress, or just have a good laugh!
Jenna is in Instagram @DiabetesTips - Search in your app or click on this image to check her out and follow.
Social media has provided an outlet for me that helps me relate to others, and hopefully help others with type 1 diabetes. I love being able to support others who may be having a tough day, and talking to others who are dealing with the same bumps that I am. It can be very easy to feel different, or cut off from the world when you are living with a chronic disease. However, diabetes has actually helped me in many ways that, as a society I feel we tend to ignore. Yes, I have had sleepless nights, scary lows, scary highs…..but through all that pain I have also learned to move on, and to get on with life. Diabetes has taught me to be more patient with others as well as myself. I have also learned to forgive others as well as myself. As you all probably know, if you don’t forgive yourself for those little mistakes, you will go crazy!
When you know how it feels to have a chronic illness, you can empathize with others who are also going through something similar, even if it is not type 1.
We can learn from each other through social media.
We can all share tips, and tricks that we may have found over the years whether they relate to physical or emotional wellness in our management. Social media also helps me stay inspired in my management. When I am not feeling my best, I seek support. When I am feeling positive, I try to give support. We can all give and take from each other. Through social media, we can help others forgive themselves, support each other through sleepless nights, and also add a little humor to type 1!
You can find Jenna on Instagram @DiabetesTips and I am on Instagram @ArdensDay. Jenna's episode of the Juicebox Podcast can be found here, listened to below, on iTunes or where ever you get your podcast fix.
You Can Help to Create CGM Medicare Coverage
If you speak up, things will change!
I am a huge proponent of continuous glucose monitoring and believe that everyone deserves it's benefits and protection if they want it. Please take a moment to help the JDRF give a friendly push to our legislators. Doing the right thing for older people who have type 1 diabetes is the least that should be done. Your participation only takes a few moments and I've seen the JDRF's actions help issues like this in the past. If you speak up, things will change! Thank you, Scott
One Voice Calling for Medicare Coverage of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)
We need your help. Ask the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to cosponsor bipartisan bills to ensure people over 65, and who are Medicare-eligible, have access to life-saving CGMs!
The Co-Chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus have reintroduced important bipartisan legislation (S. 804)
—the “Medicare CGM Access Act of 2015”—that would facilitate Medicare coverage for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and help pave the way for the next generation of CGM-related technologies, such as artificial pancreas (AP) systems.
This legislation now joins a bipartisan companion bill, (H.R. 1427), the “Medicare CGM Access Act of 2015,” introduced in the U.S. House by the leadership of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus.
But we still need your help! Please take a few minutes to:
- Email your Representatives and ask them to support H.R. 1427, the “Medicare CGM Access Act of 2015.”
- Email your Senators and ask that they support S. 804, the “Medicare CGM Access Act of 2015.”
After you complete these two simple action steps, please ask your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to do the same! And spread the word on your favorite social media pages using the hashtag #MedicareCoverCGM.
Why CGMS should be covered by Medicare
CGMs are FDA-approved, physician-prescribed devices that detect and display blood-glucose levels continuously—and reveal trends in these levels that often go unnoticed. A JDRF-funded CGM trial has shown that the rate of severe high blood-sugar (hypoglycemia) events among adults using a CGM fell by two-thirds over the first year of use. Not surprisingly, CGMs are recommended by national diabetes clinical guidelines—and they’re covered by nearly all private health plans.
Unfortunately, Medicare does not currently cover CGMs—despite the evidence of clinical benefit. The result? Millions of seniors with diabetes are left vulnerable to severe low blood-sugar (hyperglycemia) events that can lead to seizures, bouts of unconsciousness and hospitalization. And the costs are not just physical:
- Hypoglycemia inpatient admission rates are an average of $17,564 per visit.
- Diabetes is one of the costliest chronic diseases, accounting for $245 billion in economic losses in 2012, including $176 billion in direct medical costs.
- Of that $176 billion, 59 percent is attributed to those ages 65 and older.
- Overall, 42 percent of Medicare fee-for-service spending is attributed to people with diabetes.
JDRF has been working closely with other interested stakeholders to encourage Medicare to cover CGM devices—and we have made it one of our top national advocacy priorities. While we continue to work to resolve this issue quickly, we need your help to build support within Congress.
Please take action today!
Remember, all you have to do is:
