A Diabetes Celebrity Right in Our Hands……..Let’s Put Him to Work!

Coco and Mickey MouseWithout a doubt one of the most beloved animated characters of all time is Mickey Mouse; and I think on that we can all agree.  I have stated it before, and it is worth repeating, that Lily Diabetes and Disney teaming up to create an actual Disney character with diabetes is one of the most incredible partnerships I have ever seen.

Mickey’s friend, Coco, has diabetes……kids do not feel so alone!!!!!  Cool, right?

I have written about it before but it’s important enough to repeat especially now that Coco is becoming quite active with “going to school” and doing “sleep-overs” and stuff.

The diabetes community has always, and continues, to look for GREAT spokespeople to educate others about diabetes.  Well there is one in our own back yard and we should take advantage of it.  And it is one Mickey Mouse and his friend Coco.

We, in the diabetes community, are always looking for ways to educate the public and always are looking for ways to help.  People, many times, share with me their limited resources.  They cannot be fund-raisers for a cause or have a huge outreach, here is something that is simple and could truly have an impact educating others.

What if we could figure out a day, a national day, that could be for reading.  I know they exist and I know the NEA’s Read Across America happens each year, and there are others also; not to mention Diabetes Month and Diabetes Alert Day in March..  Why not grab one of those great collaborative books of Coco and Mickey Mouse….and offer to read it to your child’s school or in a library.  How cool would it be if all across America the diabetes community was reading one of these books to children on the same day or in the same week/month?

The question always arises, if we had a celebrity……what would we do with them?????  Who is a bigger celeb than Mickey Mouse for goodness sakes? Well now you know.  Take Mickey and Coco into the classroom, your child’s classroom.  Read about diabetes……talk about diabetes.

There is plenty of time to set it up, but I wanted to get your thoughts.  What do you think?  I’m truly interested in your feedback.  Kindly reply to this, and not just on the FB page where you saw this, but here on the post so everyone can read what others think.  We have a celebrity here in the diabetes community…….let’s put him, and Coco, to work!!!!

Thoughts?

I am a diabetes dad.

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

 

 

Do You Know Mickey Mouse has a Friend with T1 Diabetes?

Upon diagnosis, kids feel all alone.  Now that they have diabetes, and if no one else in the family has it, it becomes a stark reality that they will go it all alone….right? 

Eli Lilly as partnered with Disney to create Coco.  Coco is  a monkey character and she has T1 Diabetes and she is a very good friend of Mickey Mouse and Pluto and the family at Disney. 

Think about that for a second.

Probably the most recognized cartoon character in the universe and he has a friend with diabetes and Mickey wants to help.  You child will not have to ‘go it’ alone.  This book has been out there for a while and there is also a follow-up book with Coco.  It isn’t exactly new–but it may be new to you, and that is important.

Why would Disney do this?  Clearly the amount of money they will make will be minimum at best because of the select niche market.  Not exactly sure of the why but much kudos is due Eli Lilly and Disney for bringing to life a character in one of the best-loved families in the world……Disney.  Eli Lilly did not just do a good job with this—-they knocked it out of the park.  Coco books….a must read for any child with T1 diabetes. Kids will not necessarily have to feel all alone when they see that even the friend of the world’s most famous mouse is just like them.  And that ain’t too shabby. 

 Nice job all.

Your diabetes educator or Doctor should be able to get you a free copy.

I’m a diabetesdad.