Tag: get involved

Where Are These People…….Seriously????????????

Posted on | by tomkarlya | 20 Comments on Where Are These People…….Seriously????????????

Where are youI have no right to feel this way.  I want to get that right out in the open at the onset.  I mean what everyone does, they do because they can, do, or choose to do……or do they?

I saw a name today, I do not want to mention where or how but they were speaking of their child with diabetes; and perhaps they have done a lot; but I have never seen their name attached to anything significant and man-oh-man have they the power to make a difference.  The question needs to be asked…..are you doing enough?

Just to be clear, I am not speaking of the PWDS, moms and dads and those who do what they can do and they do a lot.  I am speaking to those people who KNOW THEY HAVE THE POWER AND INFLUENCE to make a difference; they know when they speak people will listen.  And what???????……….zippo.

I watch as so many orchestrate, organize, and just do things to try to make a difference.  They create petitions for awareness, they try to raise an additional dollar for a cure, a camp, or to help those in need.  Yet, so many have the power of the media that if they CHOOSE to, they could shine a very bright light on a specific side of diabetes.

Now I am not speaking of showing up at an event and giving a check because one can; I am reminding them of people who give because they HAVE TO.  I am reminding THEM that there are those who give of their time and their money because diabetes will just not do in their lives. These people give until it hurts.

If you have a child with diabetes are you giving until it hurts? 

Are you giving what you can because it’s easy?

I’m sorry when I read about Halle Berry curing her diabetes, Paula Dean doing or not doing what she should, and I am even more sorry that when they GET IT WRONG they are catapulted to the front pages across the land.

And still, discussions are held in so many foundation-circles in an attempt to “reach that” person who has a diabetes connection to see if they can help.  We should not HAVE TO REACH out to them, they should be reaching out to us (the collective us who can but them to good work).

(This added by the writer after a post from a reader:  I am sensitive to the fact that some people, being in the limelight, may have their children’s privacy compromised—-no one wants this either; mine is but a question to those who have the power to make a difference; are you?  One can still be involved without media attention and I know this as a fact because I know some are doing so.   My question is just that—-a question to ask are you doing enough?) 

There are those that get involved and do much…..obviously I am not referring to them.  I don’t care if a child was diagnosed 30 years ago or two weeks ago.  ALL OF US must give until it hurts.  ALL OF US MUST DO UNTIL IT HURTS.  Celebrity, movie producer, athlete, movie star, moms, dads, people with diabetes……if we do not DO IT (whatever that defines) NO ONE WILL DO IT FOR US.

If you are not involved…….guess what……..you are not involved.

I heard a great line a few weeks ago; a friend of mine was talking to a friend who was stating how much they have done, or did do, and were not as active in doing so much anymore.  My friend asked one simple question: “How’s that going for you?”

There is still no cure and there are still places that do great work that are struggling badly.  THE. JOB. IS. NOT. DONE. YET.

Need any ideas……you just let me know.  You are the light bulb…..I will help you shine like you never have before…..just drop me a line.

Our kids still live with diabetes every day.  Get involved until it hurts……our kids deserve nothing less. 

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

A Blue Flame that Should Never Be Lit……Your Input is Requested to Extinguish it.

Posted on | by tomkarlya | 46 Comments on A Blue Flame that Should Never Be Lit……Your Input is Requested to Extinguish it.

Blue flame extinguishedI had just read about a 7-year-old child that was diagnosed with diabetes upon their death.  I was livid. 

This just seems so unacceptable to me.  My experiences from hearing prior stories go something like this:
flu-like symptoms take place, it gets worse, trip after trip happens to medical offices/hospitals, no one can figure exact cause, and by time anyone can figure everything out……the individual passes away.   Now I DO NOT know if that is what happened in this case but I am informed the diagnosis was at death.

Unacceptable.

I am so angry that I decided reading about it and not doing anything about it is just not in my DNA.  Just ‘Don’t do Nothing’ has been written or stated by me a million times.  I reached out to The American Academy of Pediatrics to discuss the matter.

I am in the process of figuring out what we all might do.  Poster campaign, public service campaign, and I am not sure what….but SOMETHING.

I’m not stating that someone or a group is doing anything wrong.  All I am saying is that we should do all WE can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.  There are many laws on the books named after people who, upon their death, the families felt a change needed to be made.

In our diabetes community, that law (or action needed) would have an entire list of names. 

You know it was really incidents on playing fields that made the defibulators placed everywhere.  It was death in kids that made a rallying point to become a reality to make defibulators placed everywhere.

I might be wrong, but if a blood test would have revealed something, it needs to be done.  I may be way out of my league, here but something needs to be done, what do you think?

I learned, AGAIN, yesterday that his community can make a difference.  Not merely hundreds, thousands of people, responded trying to help yesterday in an incident now resolved.  When we as a community set our minds to do something we can change the tide.

Once I figure out a course of action, I will let you know.

Are you in?  Do you think that we as a community SHOULD try to do something?  Reply to this blog as I want/need to hear if I am just angry or DO YOU think something can/should be done?  What are your thoughts?

I am a diabetesdad.

NOTE: Hit ‘Like’ on my Diabetes Dad FB page to stay informed

Tomorrow is…………Yeah, so What?

Posted on | by tomkarlya | Leave a Comment on Tomorrow is…………Yeah, so What?

Tomorrow is Diabetes Awareness Day; November 14th, the birthday of Frederick Banting one of the few credited with the discovery of insulin.  At the time, the headlines stated insulin was a cure.  It wasn’t; still isn’t.   But when one has nothing, it surely was a great step in saving lives; still does. 

November 14th, tomorrow, is by no means a holiday to me.  When I was a child and Mother’s Day rolled around I would say to my mom, “When is Child’s Day?”   You all know the answer to question as I am sure every mom has the same answer; (all together now) “Every day is Child’s Day.” 

That is somewhat how I feel about diabetes.  I do not need a specific day to be reminded about diabetes.  I do not need to see ‘something special’ done on the fourteenth of November each year.  We, as a community need to continue rowing together demanding the best from the companies and the organizations we support.   We need to continue to work together to make sure ‘the media’ gets right and we see diabetes painted in the light according to the specific types and what that represents. 

Because when it comes right down to it, in my life, November the fourteenth is the same as every other day.  It will remain like every other day until there is a cure; 100% every day.  How about you? 

What have you done today to try to make a difference in the world of diabetes; or in the life of your child with diabetes above and beyond daily management?  I might be for starting something on this date if never done before, but when it comes time for ‘doing something’ we better be doing that every day of the year or we will never move the needle (pun intended) when it comes to diabetes care and a cure. 

I know, that management in itself is much to ask isn’t it?   But we all need to “not do nothing”—-if our child deals with diabetes 24/7/365—-why are we not doing more?  It will not go away until we all work diligently to that end.  Cure, better management tools, and getting involved–never be satisfied with where you are at.  EVER.  In it to end it…..need help to get involved, just ask me–I have plenty of ideas.  

Each soldier has to take care of their own well-being, but when together they become an ever forward moving army ready to do battle.  Nothing less can be expected by anyone else who ‘has skin in the game’. 

Let’s work to making November 14th about a week before Thanksgiving and nothing more. 

The diabetes battle is every day.   Get involved today. 

I’m a diabetesdad.

Wanted: Santa’s Elves—-Don’t do Nothing

Posted on | by tomkarlya | 1 Comment on Wanted: Santa’s Elves—-Don’t do Nothing

This is a pet project of mine.

Last year I ran a fund raising event that was fun and worth while.  I sent personal letters to children, from Santa Claus.

Parents would make a donation to the DRI and we would send a letter from Santa Claus; complete with stamp from the North Pole.

Kids with diabetes; kids without; siblings to kids with diabetes, parents sent me the personal information and they absolutely loved when their kids opened the letters personally addressed to them that talked about their personal lives.

“My daughter’s face was priceless; Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”  ‘M’ from California.

This year I’m looking to grow this program and I am looking for Santa’s helpers to help write the letters.  We will supply you with everything you need.  Letterhead, example letters, stamps for the envelope and even the postage stamps.  You do not have to collect money at all—just help write letters which will be letters printed from your computer. 

So this holiday season, help find a cure AND make the holidays happy with a letter from Santa.  If you are interested; just hit reply to this post and someone will get back to you about the program.  Your ‘reply’ will not show up anywhere as I have to approve them before they are public.  I will use it to see your information and I will get back to you.

It is simple and fun—-get involved—do something.

Thank you,

I’m a diabetes dad.