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In this Issue


Camp Season Is Coming!

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“The best thing about camp was that I realized that there are a lot of people just like me.” 
-Camper

“I benefited from Camp because it made me realize that other people can care for him and he will remain safe and healthy.”  -Parent of Child with type 1 diabetes

It’s time to register your child for American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Camp! At Camp, meet and learn from other kids and adult counselors with diabetes who:

  • Listen and understand first-hand what it’s like to live with diabetes.
  • Share their strategies for coping with diabetes management and learn about their day-to-day triumphs and challenges.
  • Inspire campers with their personal accomplishments at school, in sports and at work.
  • Help campers make new friends and develop their own lifelong support system

Our 2012 Diabetes Camps run from June to August. Go to www.diabetes.org/camp to find a camp, get information and register.

The College Diabetes Network

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Letting go of your son or daughter who is away at college is difficult enough. And when he or she has type 1 diabetes the feelings of pride and hope are compounded by worries about their health and well-being. As a student, your child may experience mixed emotions of both excitement and fear about their independence. Not only are they faced with navigating through campus life, but they also must resolve issues related to their diabetes care.

Discovering that there were no support services available to college students with diabetes, spurred Christina Roth, then a junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, to create the College Diabetes Network in 2009. The College Diabetes Network (CDN) is a national non-profit organization founded to address the unique challenges facing college students with diabetes, from access to better health care and resources, to creating a community that understands and supports the disease.

Christina says, “I started a small group on the UMass campus to go beyond the usual student groups. There were so many issues for students with diabetes—housing, dining, and social activities. I wanted students to connect with other students like them to share how they dealt with diabetes.”

Read more and find resources to help you and your child transition to college.

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Introducing Logan Nicole Gregory, the 2012 National Youth Advocate!

logan.jpgLogan Nicole Gregory doesn’t let diabetes get in the way of what she loves—and that is Advocacy! As the 2012 National Youth Advocate, Logan Nicole Gregory is spending the year promoting the Association’s advocacy initiatives, meeting with elected officials, and reaching out to children and adults, encouraging them to become involved in the fight to Stop Diabetes®.

Logan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was just two years old. As early as age six, she was leading the way as an Ambassador for the Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. She has been very involved in many advocacy efforts since then, including speaking at state Capitols, testifying before a state legislative committee and meeting with national elected officials. In 2011, she received the American Association of Diabetes Educators’ 2011 Advocacy Award.

She is currently a high school senior in Lexington, Kentucky. Logan’s perspective on her disease is encouraging, “While having diabetes was not a choice for me, what I choose to do with it is. In my experience, educating everyone who is willing to learn takes the “scary” out of it.” Logan Nicole Gregory is an excellent role model and inspiration for everyone living with diabetes!

Visit www.diabetes.org/nya to read Logan Nicole’s blog and find out more about her advocacy activities.

Fast Facts—2012 National Youth Advocate

  • Name: Logan Nicole Gregory
  • Age: 17
  • Location: Lexington, KY
  • Activities: Hosts a fashion show called Runway for Change to raise money for diabetes research and funding.
  • Hobbies: Riding horses and doing makeup for theatre and drama.
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National Volunteer Appreciation Week 2012

volunteer_group.jpgMark your calendars! National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 15-21. This is a great time to celebrate the dedication of our Family Link volunteers and Parent Mentors. The theme for this year is Celebrating People in Action to Stop Diabetes®. If you have been inspired by the efforts of a Family Link volunteer or are interested in finding a volunteer opportunity the whole family can participate in, check out the Association’s Volunteer Center to search for opportunities in your area: www.diabetes.org/volunteer


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Recipe of the Month

Dr. Seuss-inspired Green Eggs and Ham
Do you like green eggs and ham? Want to try them? Here’s a recipe you can try out that doesn’t include food coloring.

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chicken_fajitas.jpgRecipes for Healthy Living

Sign up for Recipes for Healthy Living to get new diabetes-friendly recipes, meals plans, tips, and more each month! Sign up today!

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Disordered Eating Behavior in Teens with Type 1 Diabetes

deborah.jpgWhat is Disordered Eating Behavior (DEB)?

Among youth with type 1 diabetes, Disordered Eating Behavior (DEB) is a complex issue that has been getting a great deal of attention. DEB is the result of negative feelings regarding one's body size, shape and weight. DEB encompasses a wide range of behaviors which interfere with daily living such as binge eating, extreme dieting, as well as unhealthy weight control behaviors such as use of laxatives or medicines to purge food. Current research does not definitively show an increased risk for diagnosable eating disorders in these youth, however, DEB is commonly reported by teens with type 1 diabetes. There are reasons for this seeming contradiction: low rates of diagnosable eating disorders but high rates of DEB. Some of these reasons have to do with the disease and its treatment.

Read more about Dr. Deborah Young-Hyman’s research on “Treatment and Weight Concerns in Type 1 Diabetes.”

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Cycling Towards a Cure

tdc.jpgBecky Furuta came to the Colorado Diabetes Expo in 2008, after her 2007 diagnosis of late-onset type 1 diabetes, and decided to become a Red Rider. She is now on Team Type 1 amateur cycling team. According to Furuta, she transformed the shame she felt over her diabetes into a reason to ride with the best diabetic athletes in the world.

Former ADA youth advocate, Quinn Nystrom was diagnosed with type when she was 13 years old. Nystrom remains active with her local ADA chapter and has dedicated herself to improving the lives of those surviving with diabetes. She has been a top Tour fundraiser for the past 12 years.

Set out on your bicycle to ride in the Tour de Cure and become a Red Rider. The Tour de Cure is a series of fundraising cycling events held in 44 states nationwide to benefit the American Diabetes Association. Your family and friends can also achieve a sensational victory for diabetes too.

Visit http://tour.diabetes.org to choose your state and read more about your local Tour. No matter why or where you ride, you'll enjoy a fun day on your bike with people who, like you, are committed to supporting a great cause.

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Coming Soon...Gluco-Share

How many times do you have to ask your child if he checked his blood sugar? Imagine having this information at your finger tips without having to ask about his numbers every day.

Gluco-Share, a new application that connects people living with diabetes, their care-givers, and friends through a private and secure social media network, is expected to be released this month. Gluco-share was developed to offer more effective mechanisms for reminding people living with diabetes to check their blood sugar and to motivate their social circle to actively show support on a regular basis.

Soon to be available for download from iTunes, Gluco-Share’s free, basic app, will allow remote-monitoring, friendly automated reminders, as well as instant messages of support. A $2 monthly fee will give users unlimited access to additional sharing and notification features, as well as full access to reward points and game challenge features.tdc_glucoshare.jpg

Twenty-five percent of Gluco-Share’s proceeds will support diabetes-related charities, including the American Diabetes Association.

“As a parent of a Type 1 child, I understand the importance—and frustration—of ensuring that my child has tested,” said Joseph Madden, president & CEO of Vmersion-Health. “Gluco-Share is the first app that has a reward system based on the frequency of checking one’s blood sugar, not about the number, which has greatly improved my relationship and the quality of communication with my child. Gluco-Share’s interactive social component complements the Stop Diabetes® movement’s call to action, and we’re proud to support it.”

For more information about the Gluco-Share app and its Check, Share and Reward features, visit www.Gluco-Share.org

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You Are Not Alone: The Place for Parents

The Place for Parents is an online community where you can connect with other parents and caregivers to get tips and advice on topics like helping your child adjust, concerns about school and activities, insulin regimens and blood sugar testing, and much more.

Take a look at what’s being discussed on the forum and join the conversations!

Newly diagnosed

"…I am so scared for the lows. I am having anxiety attacks fearing they will come in the middle of the night. Her room is on the first floor and I find myself staying up and checking on her. I have read some horrible things on the Internet and wish I had never did. Has anyone experienced any major problems with lows starting out? If so, were any of them during the night. I need some peace of mind..."

Read more or add your comments.

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Join the Movement to Stop Diabetes!
There are so many ways you can join the movement to Stop Diabetes®. Learn how you can Share, Act, Learn or Give!

 


Share your story!
Have you ever helped someone understand the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes? Has your child ever been discriminated against at school because of diabetes? Share how diabetes has affected you.

 


Start your own Team Red
Team Red is a Step Out team made up of Red Striders and the loved ones who support them. Get your family and friends together to raise money to Stop Diabetes!



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