You may have been seeing around the blogosphere that from Feb 1 – Feb 14, the Spare a Rose campaign is in full effect. Now, I am not going to spend a lot of time on my blog writing about this, because most of the readers of this blog already know about this awesome idea. My goal has been trying to reach those offline and finding ways to connect with people who do not read my blog, follow on Twitter, etc. I know that this is the goal of just about everyone else who is promoting the campaign.
For those that don’t know about Spare a Rose, let me tell you why it’s important to me.
I am one who does not get emotional very often, but when it comes to seeing images of little kids who are struggling to live because they don’t have the simple necessities to live, like insulin, it just breaks my heart. We all get upset and blast on Twitter about the latest and greatest technology that wasn’t covered by our insurances, yet, we at least have our insulin to keep us alive to make those complaints. This all comes into perspective when you watch the Life for a Child video and realize that these kids don’t even have the insulin it takes to live, let alone the CGM that doesn’t communicate with your iPhone.
Now, just a little more information about Spare a Rose.
The concept is very simple. Instead of buying a full dozen of roses, leave off the cost of one rose and donate that amount of money towards providing insulin for a month for a child. Donate the cost of a full dozen and you can provide insulin for up to a year for one child and help keep a child alive for another year.
Now, do me a favor, even if you can’t donate any money, please spread the word. Tell people in your office, family, friends, ask doctors to post the info, teachers, etc.
Last month I wrote a follow up post to the Roche Social Media Summit about the International Diabetes Federation and how at that time I did not feel a deep connection with them and just didn’t know for sure if they got it. Well guess what? I stand here today to say…. they do. And they get it pretty damn good. I think that Isabella Patton has done an incredibly job taking what we told her to heart and really putting it to work.
I have had more communication with the IDF in the last month than I did the first 7 years of me having diabetes. I have been able to work with them on the O is for Outrage campaign, use their resource to meet with local representatives and be involved in the planning process of some events. This is what makes it so exciting to be a part of this. A month ago I felt a disconnect, now I feel connected. If this can be done with the IDF then it can be done with JDRF, ADA, DRI, local governments, HCP’s, etc.
I now want to work more with the IDF. I want to be involved in all of their projects. I want to fly across the world and spread the message of the IDF. I really wanted to feel this way about the IDF, so thank you. Thank you for allowing me to feel this way.
Finally, thank you for changing my mind about the IDF.
Before going to the Roche Social Media Summit 2011, there were groups and organizations and projects that I had heard about, but did not know a lot about. One organization that I was aware of and some of the things that they were doing, primarily World Diabetes Day, but other than that, there was not much else. The first IDF presentation that was given at the #dsummit by Isabella Platon, the Head of Communications for the International Diabetes Federation. I was not very impressed with at all. I feel very disconnected with the IDF, and I do not like that. I believe that it was Scott Johnson who brought up the same point and even brought this issue up during the Q&A session. I just don’t think that the IDF was prepared for what they were going to get from the #dsummit crew. Unfortunately, not all companies get social media, and the IDF is not there yet, but I think that we can work with them to help them “get it”.
Another item that was brought up during the initial IDF session was about the idea of getting the blue circle out to the public more and get more awareness and understanding of what this blue circle thing is. Isabella spoke about a process that needs to be taken to go through all of the companies that would like to partner with them to do this, such as the cola companies of the world and companies that make processed foods and that the IDF does not want their symbol on those items. I do not agree, at all. Why would we NOT want to put that blue circle on let’s say a Pepsi can? If somebody is drinking a lot of Pepsi and eating a lot of processed foods that are not good for you, don’t you think it is a good idea to have that blue circle on there that gives them an awareness of diabetes and that possibly be at risk for diabetes. I think that this is a great idea, and I think that they should not have such strict standards. IDF is not sponsoring them, they are sponsoring IDF. Anybody agree / disagree?
Then came dinner on Thursday night and my entire perception of the IDF changed. Not only that, but I was more motivated at that point then any other time in my life. I don’t even know exactly where to begin. We were told that the President of the IDF would be attempting to swing by and say hello. Well, did he ever stop by and say hello…..and more.
Jean Claude Mbanya walked around the room and introduced himself while we were all eating and then he took over the room to just give us a quick talk. I could not take any notes during this time because I was so focused on exactly what he was saying, so I will leave the statistics that he spoke about to some of the others bloggers. What I want to focus on, and I think everybody that was at this event will be focusing on, and I hope that everybody who is reading this will be focused on as well, is creating a noise, a buzz, a loud ass constant OUTRAGE about diabetes. I’m talking about the outrage that you see from people fighting for AIDS policies, handcuffing themselves to a pole out front of an elected officials office (try not to get arrested). But this is the only way that our voices will truly be heard in the masses. Blogging and social media is only one part of this situation, we have to continue this battle online, but also take this offline. I am now starting to get into something totally different that I will be discussing later on in the week, which by the way, this will be a 5-7 part series of blog posts that all discuss the Roche Social Media Summit.
Jean Claude Mbanya was very motivational when speaking on stories about how children in small villages in Africa do not have access to medications and insulin and die just because they are born in the wrong area of the world. There are also areas within the United States that put you at a disadvantage just because you were born there. There is an upcoming United Nations meeting coming up later this year and diabetes is not even on their radar. From now until then, we have to put diabetes on the radar. If I am not mistaken, I believe that Roche Social Summit team would be more than willing to help with who we can contact in regards to this.
Here is one of my goals. I want us to be able to get diabetes on the radar. I have done some fact checking, but you can do more and I will be more than happy to update this section of the post with a correction, but I do not believe that our President is making diabetes an issue with the UN, bad mistake.
Who is in? Who’s ready to make some more noise and get crazy and wild and loud about this diabetes stuff.
Please take an additional 2 minutes and watch this video and please pass along:
