5:30 am: I am on a shuttle on the way to Newark Airport. Other businesspeople are on the shuttle bus as well; six of them together, me by myself. They talked little of what their job was but I gathered they were regional managers of some sort of retail store. I could tell you names and complaints they have of their senior management, of that they were very clear. They talked of where they went last night, how tired they were, and they walked too much.
But little discussion of what they do.
There is a common bond with those of us who are fortunate enough to work in a field that is so full of passion-oriented people. Let’s call them POP for short. The diabetes field is full of POP. No matter what conference I attend or where I go for business meetings if I see someone who is part of the diabetes movement, conversation will immediately become about the latest in the news of the people we serve. Management tools, education tools, and the latest in research are all approached pretty quickly.
I look forward to learning all the time and wherever I go, the opportunities are branches of fruit waiting to be picked and enjoyed. I also look forward to creating partnerships where both research funds are raised and we can help people at the same time. POP where everyone creates a win-win-win. Today I head to what I hope will be such a meeting. A win-win-win by POP would make my day.
It is for my kids and those like them; because no matter where I go or what I do I am ‘in it to end it’. It’s my driving force. It is a saying I have used for over 15 years. If I can go somewhere or speak to someone and raise one more dollar for the research to end diabetes forever, I’m there; and I’ll be there for as long as it takes. It’s important to find this cure; to fund this cure. If we do not work to fund research for a cure, research will wither away and die. Already it is not as ‘sexy’ as it used to be and funds are getting cut right and left. Many who started are changing direction or giving up altogether.
I cannot. I will not.
It’s about the cure. And in as much as I will help in any other area if needed, make no mistake about it; it’s about curing diabetes.
I exited the shuttle bus to the Newark Airport Terminal to board my plane. I turned and looked at the business people on the bus and said “Have a great day gentlemen.” They all looked up as if I disturbed them with my interruption of their conversation. I smiled as I walked down the steps. My next two days will be exciting.
Those I left behind are not POP; I am a Diabetesdad.
No one knows how hard it is to be a sibling of a child with diabetes. No matter how hard we, as parents, try to balance the playing field our child(ren) with diabetes demand so much more attention.