……and the answer is, who is Brandy Barnes.
Brandy is the founder and CEO of Diabetes Sisters which was founded in 2008. Diagnosed with diabetes in the early 1990s, Brandy knows and remembered the many obstacles she lived with during her battles with diabetes. With little information geared specifically toward women and diabetes (all types) and realizing the small amount of resources available; Diabetes Sisters was born.
What started as a one-woman idea has grown into an outreach to thousands
More than just a website, conference, or an information portal (these alone are worthy of high regard and a ‘must-participate’ for any woman dealing with diabetes), Brandy has created one of the most incredible applications on the internet today with her “SisterMatch” program. This mechanism links people ‘going through a diabetes’ lifestyle with other women who are alike in more ways than just diabetes. SisterMatch is one of the most unique and refreshing peer-to-peer mechanisms that any woman dealing with diabetes can utilize today.
Her bio states:
Brandy Barnes, MSW
FOUNDER & CEO
Hello! My name is Brandy Barnes. I am the Founder and CEO of DiabetesSisters. Although I have resided in the Chapel Hill area since 1993, I am a native of Hickory, NC. It was when I was a sophomore in high school– at the age of 15 (January 1990) — that my life was changed forever by a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Looking back, I can see how the diagnosis represented a new direction for my life. I had always had an insatiable thirst for knowledge–and diabetes gave me a new subject to dive into. I read everything I could get my hands on related to diabetes. Knowledge became my power. The more I knew, the more I could help myself and help others with the disease.
For Diabetes Awareness Month:
This month, I will be highlighting someone in the diabetes community. They may be people you know, or might not know, but they give of themselves to make this world, our world, with diabetes a special place. I will not get to everyone this month, but it is my hope that perhaps you can be introduced to some of those you may not know.
I’m certainly not the definitive on who should be included….you are. If you think I should include someone, shoot me an email at tkarlya@drif.org and I will do what I can to include that person as well. Welcome to diabetes awareness month.
I am a diabetes dad.
Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.