This being the start of National Diabetes Awareness Month, we thought it would be a good time to look back and most of all, look ahead to what we have to do to get to a cure.
To say it’s been an active year on the diabetes front is an understatement. At no time in history has more progress been made and more work been done on behalf of the issue that is so important to all of us: finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
Research-wise, we are seeing the results of our hard work. More people than any other time in history are involved in clinical trials in and around diabetes issues. The Artificial Pancreas Project and Continuous Glucose Monitors grab headlines all the time and for good reason: true breakthroughs are coming at a fast pace.
All that came not because of luck or the natural progression of man’s understanding of things. Make no mistake: were it not for the hard work and determination of volunteers like you, we would not be even close to this point.
And while we’d like to take a moment for a much-deserved group pat on the back, we simply cannot. Because not only is our work not close to done, one might say we are at “critical mass” for work needing to be done.
But don’t let that scare you. Because our troops are strong and deep, we all really only need to do one or two actions to keep our pace. This week – make that today – we ask you to pick up your phone, call your legislator and ask to schedule a Promise To Remember Me meeting before the year is out.
It’s easy. Don’t let it scare you. What follows are some “what ifs” for you to consider.
I called and they said my Legislator simply does not have the time. It’s true. With the extended week in Washington, Legislators have less time on their home turf (and they are as upset about it as you are). Your answer is simple: “If you could arrange for the meeting to be with the health staffer but have my Representative stop in for a quick photo, that would be absolutely fine.” A lot can happen in a quick photo op (read the promise site for what happened with the Sen. Kerry photo op for motivation), and in the end, if you get the quick hello and photo and drive home our needs to the staffer, you’ve done a lot to keep us on the road to a cure.
I’m worried about finding other families to come with me. It seems like a lot of work. No longer. Thanks to the Promise site, you can get instant access to dozens of families who are interested in attending a Promise meeting in your area. If you need help with this, the GR staff and lead volunteers stand ready to help you or even do it for you.
JDRF just met with them last spring for Government Day and then in June for Children’s Congress. There is a reason why the Wall Street Journal and New York Times have called us the most effective patient advocacy group on the hill – we don’t let up. While it make seem like we “just met,” with them, each meeting had it’s own unique reason, and things change monthly in Washington and on the diabetes front. With the renewal of the Special Type 1 legislation looming, meetings before year’s end are a must. If your office says they just met with you, simply say, “and we are so thankful. However, this quick meeting is just as necessary.” You can also say the meeting will include constituents who have not met before, if this is the case.
With that, we ask you to take some time right now, pick up your phone and begin the process. We are here to help you, and one say soon, thanks to this action, we will all be known as the people who cured diabetes. Could there be a better way to mark National Diabetes Awareness Month?
Tom Glass, Volunteer Co-Chair, Promise To Remember Me Campaign
Lorraine Stiehl, Volunteer Co-Chair, Promise To Remember Me Campaign
Moira McCarthy Stanford, Volunteer Chair Of Grassroots Outreach