In the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) we often talk about ways to reach more people.
We know how beneficial the DOC has been for us, and we wish that benefit for everyone touched by diabetes.
But we also know that the people in the DOC are the motivated, proactive people. These are the people who actively searched for that support. Unfortunately, we are the minority.
How many people out there need our help, but don’t know about us? Or don’t know they need help?
We need to find ways to get this support out to more people.
What is Diabetes Advocates?
A nonprofit program that brings together several organizations and individuals that advocate on behalf of people with diabetes.
The members of Diabetes Advocates independently write blogs and books, run online communities and operate nonprofits. Together, we reach over 1,000,000 people touched by diabetes every year.
What do we do for the diabetes community?
When you live with diabetes, it is important to complement the advice and treatment prescribed by your medical team with support and opinions from others who live with diabetes like you. This is where we come in
We offer support and information through multiple channels; we speak at diabetes events and conferences nationwide from a patient perspective; and we make ourselves available to media for diabetes-related stories
Scott’s Take on DA?
It would be impossible to be associated with such a group without feeling proud to be a part of it.
When the concept was originally pitched, I wasn’t quite sure I understood the vision. But I jumped on board because of the respect and admiration I have for Manny Hernandez and David Edelman. The way they work together to do great things, instead of competing for loyalty to their community sites, was impressive to me. I looked at what they did with TuDiabetes.org and DiabetesDaily.com, and figured if these two were dreaming something up, I wanted to be a part of it.
There have been two big benefits for me so far:
- Being able to simply watch some of the e-mail conversations and brainstorming between these people (it’s really moving how dedicated we all are to the greater good).
- My scholarship to BlogWorld Expo 2010 was a direct result of WEGO Health reaching out to the Diabetes Advocates group.
In addition, I know that there are steps being taken to try and get our materials into the hands of healthcare professionals. These are the people who see the people we are trying to help. There is a lot of resistance there, which I can understand (sort of). Putting forth an organized, well-respected face, with many years of combined experience, increases our chances of reaching and helping more people.
The 2011 application process is open until Monday, April 4, 2011. Take a look through the Diabetes Advocates website and give some thought to joining. This is not an exclusionary group – the more the merrier, and the more people who pool resources, the more reach we have as a group.
