You Have a Job to do.
Diabetes Awareness month is November.
We’re not going to wait. Too many are getting it wrong now, today. Do something today that could have an impact on Diabetes Awareness Month for 2012. Ready?
The worst form of diabetes…….is getting it wrong. Find a newspaper in your area and either email or send a letter. Here is the copy of my actual letter that I sent to Mr. Fred Groser, Publisher of Newsday, here on Long Island; and I also sent to the Vice President of Editorial Services for Cablevsion—it took me 7 minutes and 37 seconds to do both. If needed, take mine and tweak/edit as needed……but do it.
Dear Mr. Groser,
My name is Tom Karlya and I am an online writer about diabetes (www.diabetesdad.org and www.dlife.com/diabetsdad), active in many diabetes causes, and probably most importantly; I am a father to two children who live with Type 1 Diabetes everyday.
As I’m sure you know, November is Diabetes Awareness month and I, along with thousands of people across the nation who are touched by this insidious disease, are writing to our local media to ask that should you run any stories about diabetes; PLEASE make sure you ‘get it’ right.
When referring to Type 2 Diabetes designate it as such; and the same with Type 1 Diabetes, or Gestational Diabetes, or to whichever form of diabetes you are referring. There is so much misunderstanding and confusion about diabetes, help us educate the public to understand fully by being specific where needed.
Thank you for your time. You can contact me directly or feel free to reach out to the Diabetes Advocates at info@diabetesadvocates.org; their website is www.diabetesadvocates.org; they will be glad to answer any questions you have about the different forms of diabetes. Thank you for your support during diabetes awareness month.
Regards,
–Tom
Imagine if just 1000 people did this to two forms of media across the country this week getting ready for Diabetes Awareness month. You can even cut and paste what I have given and tweak it.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and today …is…..is…..um……’help the media get it right in November’ day……..so let’s go.
If we don’t try to correct the problem, we cannot complain when they get it wrong. Should you do it, send me a response to let me know the name of the newspaper and in what city and state. This is an easy one, but one that can surely have an impact….let’s do it together. ‘Don’t do nothing’…….and do it today.
I’m a diabetesdad.
14 replies on “The Worst Kind of Diabetes is………”
I am going to send 4 of these letters out if i can get them to go through. clarinda hearld journal maryville courier, maryville Mo 64468 virginia pilot in virginia Beach, va and one to the paper in Ridgecrest Calif just thought i would let you know.
Fabulous!!!
Let us know what happens.
going to send your letter to the clarinda hearld journal in clarinda Iowa and Maryville courier in Maryville mo and the virginia pilot in va beach va
LOL….not my letter—YOUR letter now.
Good luck.
Great Idea! I’m going to write letters to the editors for our local papers. I’m always amazed at how many people don’t know there’s more than one type of diabetes…and always disheartened when their eyes start to glaze over as I launch into my autoimmune educational speech…but I will never stop trying!
sometimes short and sweet is a good beginning until they need further detail—–Thanks for chiming in.
Conversely, I’d also suggest writing to the editors/producers of newspapers, websites and TV stations that get it right. As parents, we all know that nothing reinforces good behavior like a little praise 😉
Fabulous idea Serena—thanks
Great idea. I’ll take it for Mexico, the country I live and from I write my Blog. I you or any of your followers can or need to read in spanish, are more than wellcomed to learn about diabetes (all kinds) in spanish.
As Serena said, we’ll include editors/producers of newspapers, websites and TV stations
Gracias Jorge (that’s the extent of my bilingual-ness) 🙂
Tweak, tweak, media list here I come. Thanks for the reminder, Tom. And – for all the young people with type 1 who wish they never had to explain it again! Until it ends, “sugar” (wait, should you really be eating that?) we’ll keep up the good education fight.
Always great to hear from you friend.
🙂
Tweaking and sending to our tiny local paper and then to our not-so-local news station. The Park Falls, Wisconsin Herald & The Phillips Bee are the same paper and I will be sending to WJFW TV 12 out of Rhinelander, WI.
Fallon and her teachers are also working up something to do in her Middle School for Diabetes Awareness Month! Awesome, creative teachers. Last year Fallon dyed a blue stripe in her hair. We might have a hairstylist come and have the kids (with permission) get their hair dyed for a $5 donation or something along those lines. Will keep you updated!
I just sent an email to the MidAtlantic Media Contact for Kaiser Permanente – who keeps running radio ads in the DC area geared towards children being active and preventing diabetes. If you want to see it let me know! Will keep you posted and THANK YOU for the push. Won’t stop with this either – will write to other media outlets.