I read, again, how a mom of a newly diagnosed child was seeking names of celebrities who have type 1 diabetes to inspire her child. Inspiration to show that they can do anything with diabetes. I love our athletes and celebrities who continue to show us that all heights are reachable. Swimming in the Olympics like my friend Gary Hall, or being crowned Miss America as my dear friend Nicole Johnson. They make themselves readily available to inspire others, and we cannot be more grateful to them.
Possibilities are endless.
But………(you knew there was going to be a but, right?)…….
I have found that many kids are just as inspired seeing their peers do wonderful things. Doing things and diabetes does not stop them every single day. I have made it 1000% clear before that one of my favorite families on earth is the one that belong to Paula and Danny Maiden in the UK.
Paula, a super-hero-mom for a bunch of reasons (that I will leave it to her to explain when ever she wants) is just an incredible force of positive energy and she has faced incredible odds. Yet she continues with ‘what is important’ and she will not fill your day with a day of woes.
In the middle of a wife and two daughters is Danny. A strong man who loves sports, drives a train (people who know me know that I would LOVE THAT due to my incredible passion for trains) and if you are a friend of his on FB, you will see splattered all over his pages who the women are who are important to him.
But their daughters…..ahhhhh their daughters……….are a force to reckon with as well. One having diabetes, and the two of them with just an incredible amount of positive energy and a huge drive to succeed. They have no fear to be thrown 30 feet into the air and they show no fear of diabetes as well.
Crazy, silly, active, and the entire family—-always with a smile…….lots of smiles.
Now, here is the catch; I’m pretty sure that you will not see any of them in your local movie theatre, and by many-a-definition of non-celebrity world; they are ‘just’ (notice the quotes) a normal family loving life.
But if that is the case, why do I find myself on an off-day going to Danny and Paul’s FB page? I’ll tell you why; because there is always a picture there that will make me smile. Doing something, Danny giving advice to a friend to encourage them, smiles—-millions of smiles. It is that ‘love-of-life’ that is truly electrifying.
And so do your kids. And THIS IS MY MAIN point for writing today. I meet so many kids that are just so incredibly inspiring just doing what they do. Acting in school shows, dancing, playing an instrument, playing sports, and the list goes on and on. I think, that when kids are newly diagnosed, they would be as much inspired as seeing their peers ‘doing something’ with diabetes as they would see a celebrity living with diabetes.
And I want to do something about that idea. I want to create a page of inspiration for all kids who need it. Your child does not have to be a state champion, they do not have to be on the ‘first string’, they do not have to be the lead……..they just have to be ‘doing’ what they love and doing it with diabetes.
Send their picture to me ‘doing what they love’, with their first name, how old were they when they were diagnosed, the state or country you live in, and their age in the picture. I’m going to create a page and/or a video that when someone is newly diagnosed; they can look at and see everyday heroes. Include one sentence that describes the photo as well; please keep it as short as possible. Photos that show action….lots of action. Send it to karlya@optonline.net and very important, in the subject line just write ‘hero’.
The Maidens would tell you that they are not special at all; they would tell you that they are just a normal family living with the new normal called diabetes, and dealing with challenges as they come one-at-a-time. And there have been quite a few. And that would be correct. But their zest, drive, and energy for living in the face of where others would just give up; is as inspiring a tale as anyone could ever observe…..and I’ll take that any day of the week.
They define inspiration. They are all true heroes in my book. Share yours; send me your information as soon as possible.
I am a diabetes dad.
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