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World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14, in more than 160 countries and territories. The WDD campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation to engage millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness.

The WDD logo is the blue circle, signifying the unity of the global diabetes community. This is why worldwide on November 14 participating organizations shine blue spotlights on recognizable landmarks in their cities, and hold gatherings, workshops, and events.

This year several Bay Area diabetes organizations partnered with JDRF to light up Union Square, and tried to break the Guinness World Record for largest number of people simultaneously hula hooping. Of course, we used lit-up blue hula hoops! Over 200 hoopers turned out for the event and we could verify 103 simultaneous hoopers, just a few short of breaking the World Record!

Check out upcoming diabetes-related activities at events.jdrfbayarea.org

This World Diabetes Day, Monday, November 14, The Counter is teaming up with JDRF to help cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes.

When you dine-in or take-out at any of the Bay Area locations — as well as their Sacramento location — 25% of your check will be donated to JDRF. Only valid on Monday, November 14, 2011.

The Counter’s beef and chicken burger patties have 0g carbs, and the turkey burger patty has as few as 3g carbs.

You Must Bring This Flyer

Open and print this flyer and present it to your server or cashier to ensure your order counts toward their donation to JDRF. Or save the flyer to your smartphone with this QR Code:

Locations

Full directory with maps >
Santana Row, San Jose, P: 408 423 9200
Mercer, Walnut Creek, P: 925 935 3795
Fountains, Roseville, P: 916 773 2333
Hillsdale South in San Mateo, P: 650 212 3200
Corte Madera Town Center, P: 415 924 7000
California Ave in Palo Alto, P: 650 321 3900

November 1 – T1Day

JDRF is kicking off the first annual T1Day on 11.1.11. We’re asking all members of the type 1 diabetes community to help us make this day a huge success by raising awareness about type 1 diabetes on this day and throughout the month of November. Some of the activities we have planned are:

• Major announcement from JDRF, which better emphasizes our focus on type 1 diabetes
• Team JDRF events and fundraising pages in honor of T1Day
• Urging advocates to sign a petition to the FDA asking them to issue guidance for artificial pancreas technology advances to better treat and potentially cure type 1 diabetes
• Facebook and Twitter activities involving the community to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes throughout the day
• Visible presence on a number of national media outlets announcing T1Day
• And much more throughout the month of November!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and check back here frequently for updates on how you can help!

November 14 – World Diabetes Day San Francisco Extravaganza

Festivities start at 5:00 PM.

Join the diabetes community as we light Union Square blue! Festivities will include inspirational talks, celebrity guests, ice skating, refreshments, music, dancing, kids arts & crafts, a diabetes resource fair and…

attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the LARGEST HULA HOOPING ACTIVITY!

We need 114 people to set a new record and bring global awareness to diabetes. If you are interested in joining, please complete the form below. Hoops will be available for those who need one. All ages welcome.

If hula hooping is not your thing please come anyway in support of diabetes awareness and for the many other fun activities.

This event is FREE!

Hosted by JDRF, ADA, diaTribe, Diabetes Hands Foundation, Dance Out Diabetes, DiabetesMine.com, UCSF and CPMC.

Sponsored by: Lifescan, Inc.

RSVP Form:

We will email you details as they are confirmed.

Renewal of U.S. Government Special Diabetes Program Will Ensure Progress toward Better Treatments and a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2010 – Thanks to significant research advances in recent years, people living with type 1 diabetes have received better treatments and therapies.  Scientists have made headway in uncovering the possible cause of type 1 diabetes, and in their efforts to find ways to prevent, treat, or reverse the autoimmune disease and its complications. Despite this progress, we still have a long road ahead of us to identify a cure that will eliminate type 1 diabetes once and for all.

Diabetes of all types continues to grow at an alarming rate – in the last 30 years , the number of people with diabetes has skyrocketed to about 24 million people in the United States alone, including as many as three million Americans affected by type 1 diabetes. The cost of diabetes is staggering – one out of every five health care dollars is spent caring for someone with diagnosed diabetes, and one out of every three Medicare dollars is attributed to diabetes. The national price tag for diabetes is at an astounding $174 billion per year and that cost is estimated to almost triple in the next 25 years.  Sustained scientific commitment and funding for research are needed to ensure we reach our goal of eliminating type 1 diabetes and its complications.

“November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to priority issues for those of us trying to bring about an end to type 1 diabetes. Chief among our priorities is to ensure that federal funding levels remain sufficient to support the necessary research to drive the field toward a cure for the disease and its complications,” said Jeffrey Brewer, President and CEO of JDRF.

JDRF is encouraging the public to learn about a key source of diabetes support, the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), a federal-funded program that has contributed significantly to many advances in diabetes research. The program is currently up for renewal before Congress. And without continued funding, support for much-needed clinical research will be in jeopardy.

The Special Diabetes Program (SDP), established by Congress in 1997, currently funds $150 million annually for type 1 diabetes research, representing 35 percent of the federal government’s support for type 1 diabetes research. JDRF, also committed to funding research toward a cure for type 1 diabetes, is calling for the multi-year renewal of the program before Congress adjourns for the year. “This would ensure that the research advancements made from the program’s early years that have now translated to human clinical trials can continue uninterrupted to further our mission of treating and curing type 1 diabetes,” said Cynthia Rice, Vice President of Government Relations for JDRF. “Without the program’s renewal, total federal support for type 1 diabetes research would drop to below FY 2004 levels, and we have come too far to let that happen.”

Research Progress to Date

Important strides in diabetes research have been made with the support of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), including studies that seek to unveil the root causes of type 1 diabetes, or to test therapies that could prevent the disease altogether. Studies aimed at developing cell-based therapies for beta cell replacement, or programs that play a critical role in testing and confirming new diabetes management technologies in children are also funded through the SDP.

Research supported by the SDP and others, including JDRF, has also led to the development of new technologies – like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors to test and control blood sugar – which have set the stage for what will ultimately lead to an artificial pancreas. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes can now manage their diabetes better than ever before. These tools have helped people to live better lives today, including lessening the risk for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can be life-threatening, and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), which can lead to long-term complications, such as blindness or kidney disease.

“In fact, thanks to better monitoring tools, people with type 1 diabetes now have a lower risk of complications than ever before,” said Richard Insel, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer for JDRF. “When complications do develop, doctors have better ways to diagnose them, slow their progression, and lessen their impact. All these research advances mean a better life and longer life expectancy for people with type 1 diabetes.”

JDRF Activities

“As we all participate in a variety of activities that will raise awareness about the urgency of diabetes this November, let’s remember to keep in mind that it is through progress in research, such as those funded by JDRF and the Special Diabetes Program, that we can continue to make improvements in the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes today and in the future,” continued Mr. Brewer.

As part of JDRF’s efforts to raise awareness for type 1 diabetes and encourage the importance of research, JDRF will participate in a number of events and activities around the country throughout the month. In particular, JDRF will host an event known as “Type 1 Talk,” an online and offline social media gathering initiated by a live UStream broadcast that will be presented by JDRF staff and volunteers on World Diabetes Day, Nov. 14. Type 1 Talk will allow people with type 1 diabetes from across the U.S. to converge in their local communities and engage in type 1 diabetes-related conversation with one another.

For more Bay Area events on World  Diabetes Day, visit our online event calendar: http://events.jdrfbayarea.org/calendar/day/2010/11/14

Also, JDRF is encouraging the public to learn more about type 1 diabetes and the importance of diabetes research through various efforts that include highlighting the warning signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, and the differences between type 1 diabetes and the more prevalent type 2 diabetes. For more information on JDRF during National Diabetes Awareness Month, please visit www.jdrf.org.

Dish Network

Dish Network is proud to support JDRF.  Order Dish Network and $100 will be donated to JDRF!  Call 1-888-383-3845 (must mention offer code: 03JDRF) or order online at: dishnetwork.com/jdrf.  Let’s show our support; thanks Dish Network!

Build-a-Bear Workshops

Come visit a Build-a-Bear Workshop store during the month of November! Make a huggable stuffed friend and support JDRF, through special donation prompts on the ”pin pad” checkout stations. The “pin pad” will prompt call credit/debit card customers for a charitable donation, which will directly benefit JDRF.

Find a store near you >

Bay Area Builid-a-Bear Locations:

Hillsdale Mall
328 Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo CA 94403

Broadway Plaza
1248 Broadway Plaza
Walnut Creek CA 94596-5112

Dream Dinners

It’s time to start talking! It’s time to talk about diabetes–about what’s important to you, how JDRF can help, and what we can do better. We’d like to partner with you to build a stronger diabetes community, both online and offline. We’re asking you to join us on World Diabetes Day, November 14 for a day of Type 1 Talk.

With the help of an easy-to-use Facebook application, we’re going to bring together type 1 communities from across the country for an afternoon designed to spark conversation, answer questions, and build camaraderie.  Visit the Facebook application now: http://apps.facebook.com/typeonetalk/

During JDRF’s Type 1 Talk, we’re asking you to get together with people affected by type 1 from your community and log on to a special live streaming presentation from JDRF staff and volunteers. We’ll be addressing topics and answering questions that YOU submitted. This is our chance to find out which issues matter most to you, while you get to hear the latest on those topics. And at the same time you’ll get to know more folks living with type 1 in your area.

We all depend on the diabetes community around us to provide support for today and maintain our hope for a cure tomorrow. Let’s work together to strengthen that community.

What do YOU want to talk about?

We want to hear from you about the topics we should cover during Type 1 Talk. Simply head over to Google Moderator to submit and vote on your preferred topics. If you don’t already have a Google username, please take a moment to follow the prompt to create one so you can take part in voting on our Type 1 Talk topics.

Comment starter: What are you doing on World Diabetes Day this year?

World Diabetes Day is November 14, 2010

Walk and Play in Awareness of Diabetes
A Free-of-Charge Community Event!

Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
3890 Cypress Drive, Petaluma, CA 94954
9:00 am – 12 noon (rain or shine)
Special ceremony to be held at 12 noon

Join Petaluma’s 2nd Annual World Diabetes Day to:

♦ Have fun and celebrate being as healthy and active as possible

♦ Raise awareness of Type II Diabetes prevention

♦ Raise awareness of the warning signs of diabetes, promote action to encourage early diagnosis and Take Control NOW

♦ Raise awareness of the unique nature of Type I Diabetes

Activities Include:

♦ A non-competitive walk, docent guided walks

♦ Field day activities for children of all ages

♦ Blood Glucose and Cholesterol Screenings

♦ Education and information

♦ Healthy Refreshments

♦ Nature Scavenger Hunt!!

Participating organizations, group and community members are still being invited and confirmed.

For more event information, including directions or to register (no fee) early contact:  Genevieve Foster FNP, CDE by going to walk for wellness.  Space is limited.

Happy World Diabetes Day!

Yesterday evening 100 people gathered just outside the Ferry Building to raise awareness of issues of importance to the diabetes world and to keep diabetes firmly in the public spotlight.  At the same time in cities around globe, thousands of others gathered to commemorate WDD by lighting buildings in the color of the blue circle symbol for diabetes.  The mood was festive as we lit candles, shined flash lights and passed out blue glow sticks and looked up in amazement at the steeple of the Ferry Building illuminated in shining blue color.

The Ferry Building on 11/14/2009

I admit to not quite understanding what the hype is all about.  I tried to find the important parts of this new International Diabetes Federation, World Health Organization and United Nations sanctioned and official world health day.  I read everything but I seemed to always end up in the same place….then what?   People I talked with who actually live with diabetes everyday seemed less than excited about an official world health day.  I was not even sure why I put on a blue shirt as I got ready to head downtown to the Embarcadero Saturday afternoon.  But I knew I should wear blue because I suggested it to others after I read it in the official What To Do manual.  The manual told me how to dress but it did not ever tell me what I really wanted to know.  What I wanted to know is how does lighting a building in blue have anything to do with raising awareness of the serious impact of diabetes on our communities?  There I said it.

I remember the day I joined the San Francisco WDD unofficial planning committee and asked Kelly Close and Alisa Bekins of diaTribe and Manny Hernandez of TuDiabetes, “how do I get a building lighted in blue?”  Turns out, that was the easy part.  As with everything, it is not what you know, it is who you know.  Later as we began to talk about the event that would mark the occasion of the lighting of the official building or monument on the UN’s sanctioned world health day I remember thinking, ” that’s it?”  No marching band?  No glad-handing politicians speaking to crowds with microphone? Silent auction?  Prizes?  An official panel discussion?  Just a meet up and make a little noise?

Mellisa and Patrick with a blue balloon.

Of course I was running late.  Late and somewhat apprehensive about what to expect.  Let’s face it.  It is a chilly Saturday evening at 5:30pm.  Who is going to be standing in a park across the street from the Ferry Building to “celebrate” World Diabetes Day?  I was just happy that Patrick McKowen from JDRF agreed to join me by giving up a couple hours of his Saturday night.  Patrick and I manage JDRF marketing and communications.  Thanks Patrick.

When I saw the Ferry Building for the first time, I was a bit relieved. It really was illuminated in blue.  Wow, we did it!  We really did it.  Its Blue.  Now what?

Christine is a proud supporter of JDRF. Thank you Christine.

Then I start to see familiar faces.   The fine people of Equity Marketing Solutions are an impressive group.  It is because of them, for example, that we have this blog as a communication tool.  Everyday, Equity Marketing Solutions provide Patrick and me with advanced website optimization and strategy development.  They do so because of a personal connection to type 1 diabetes.  They want JDRF be successful and to cure diabetes.  Christine and Melissa drove all the way from Santa Cruz to join the lighting of the Ferry Building.  They touched my heart.  Thank you ladies sincerely for making the effort, again.  Then they are off to make the journey back to Santa Cruz but just seeing them ignites my excitement.

Manny Hernandez of TuDiabetes

Then I see Manny and meet Kelly and Alisa for the first time.  Now I am starting to have fun.  I am pleased to see Charles Renfroe from Johnson & Johnson.  Charles greets me warmly.  Johnson & Johnson and JDRF sponsor the lighting of Ferry Building. I say hello to some old friends and meet some new people. Manny said that he was very pleased with the number of people that came out.  I was not there last year but I got the sense that tonight’s crowd was much bigger than the size of the crowd that gathered in 2008 at the San Francisco City Hall illuminated in blue.  Some of the organizers begin to speak briefly to the WDD crowd.  I am not sure anyone could hear what they were saying but as they speak I look out into the crowd and for the first time I see that people are happy.

Amy Tenderich, Kelly Close, Greg Martin and Charles Renfroe

Really happy.  Everyone is smiling.  People are saying thank you.  People had been saying thank you all evening.  I just say thank you right back.  I am so happy that people came out.  Happy to have 100 people to scream and shout and look up at the beautiful blue steeple on top of the Ferry Building.

Suddenly there it was.  Just do something; anything that feels right to you and that shows others that diabetes is a terrible disease and that people struggle everyday to keep their glucose within a small range of numbers considered normal.  I am really excited now because I had been feeling that maybe I didn’t do enough!  To the WDD crowd on Saturday night, we did it all.  One hundred people joined together, if for only an hour, by a common cause.

Me at the Ferry Building on World Diabetes Day evening.

Now I am feeling ten feet tall.  Suddenly, I can not wait until the first person asks me, “so how was your weekend?”  “What did you do this weekend?”  Because when they ask, I will say that I raised awareness of diabetes  because many people I care about live with type 1 diabetes and that is not okay with me.

The last person I saw before heading home was Lisa Shenson.  Lisa was on her way home but she had the biggest smile on her face.  We were too far away to be conversant but she yelled “thank you for doing this!”  I could see sincerely in her eyes and this made my night. Lisa does so much for others and fights tirelessly for the rights of children living with diabetes in school.

Lisa Shenson

If this celebration pleased Lisa, then I am one happy guy.  This morning Lisa sent me an email and included some of her photos.  Some of the photos in this blog are from Lisa Shenson.  Thanks Lisa.

I think Lisa’s email best summed up the evening.  Lisa wrote, “Tonight’s lighting of the SF Ferry Building in honor of World Diabetes Day 2009 was magical…for those of you who weren’t able to make it, we missed you! It was a warm gathering of the diabetes community that included some Bravebuddies families, JDRF, ADA, Amy Tenderich of DiabetesMine.com, Manny Hernandez of TuDiabetes.com, Kelly Close of DiaTribe.us …and me! Hope to see you next go ’round… -Lisa Shenson, Diabetes Parent & Advocate.

It was a magical night.  It may seem inappropriate way to acknowledge a disease awareness designated day but how else to end but Happy World Diabetes Day everyone.

So that is what I did for World Diabetes Day. What about you? What did you do to raise awareness of diabetes on World Diabetes Day or on any day?

Children of World Diabetes Day evening at the Ferry Building in San Francisco

Still looking for an idea on how you can get involved in World Diabetes Day on Saturday, November 14th?  Here are some suggestions.

Take the Test

Three million Americans have type 1 diabetes. Do you know the signs? wddusa.org.

Take The Big Blue Test: bigbluetest.org

PUT ON YOUR TWIBBON

Do you have a Twitter or a Facebook account? On World Diabetes Day, set your avatar as a big blue circle. It takes less than 30 seconds using Twibbon: twibbon.com/join/Diabetes-3.

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR LOCAL PAPER

Writing a letter to the editor of a local newspaper or TV station is easier than you think. Use this sample letter: wddusa.org/2009/09/sample-letter-to-the-editor.php and take five minutes to send one right now.  Read these tips on how to get it published: wddusa.org/2009/09/tips-on-writing-a-letter-to-a-newspaper-editor.php.

EMBRACE THE COLOR BLUE

Wear blue, light a blue candle, put up a blue light bulb or even paint your nails blue. Wear enough blue that people will ask: “Why are you wearing so much blue?” Let them know its World Diabetes Day and why it matters to you.

GET CREATIVE

Speak about diabetes in your children’s school or your church.

GET SCREENED

Get Screened for Diabetic Retinopathy if you are over 40.  Watch the video or visit this website geteyesmart.org.

GET INSPIRED

Visit Youtube.com and search World Diabetes Day 2009.  Just watch a few video and you will be amazed at what you can do with video.

JOIN OTHERS

Join the World Diabetes Day Walk on Saturday, November 14th at 10:00am in Petaluma.  The walk begins at the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility-3890 Cypress Drive in Petaluma, CA (next to Shollenberger Park).

On Saturday, November 14, 2009, at 5:30PM, Sacramento lights up the State Capital for World Diabetes Day.  Wear blue and join on the west steps of the State Capitol to light the Capitol building in blue, form a human circle and support the cause.

The San Francisco’s Ferry Building will be illuminated in blue this World Diabetes Day thanks to the generous sponsorship by Johnson & Johnson and JDRF!  Everyone in the Bay Area is invited to celebrate World Diabetes Day together.  So, bring your family and friends, dress up in blue, bring a flashlight and blue cellophane and bring a big blue sign and get ready to make some noise.  We begin at dusk on Saturday, Nov. 14th, at 5 pm.  You will find diaTribe®, JDRF, and TuDiabetes in the park between Ferry Building and Embarcadero.

What are you doing onWorld Diabetes Day 2oo9?

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14th. The WWD campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. WWD was created in 1991 in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. WDD became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/255.

The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. This year begins the first of a five-year campaign that will address the growing need for diabetes education and prevention programs.

WDD is celebrated on November 14, to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.

Diabetes Education and Prevention is the World Diabetes Day theme for the period 2009-2013. The campaign slogan for 2009 is “Understand Diabetes and Take Control”.  The disease imposes life-long demands on the millions people now living with diabetes and their families. People with diabetes must deliver 95% of their own care, so it is of paramount importance that they receive ongoing, high-quality diabetes education that is tailored to their needs and delivered by skilled health professionals. The key messages for everyone are:

• Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs
• Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
• Know how to manage diabetes and take control

WWD is celebrated worldwide by the over 200 member associations of the International Diabetes Federation in more than 160 countries, all Member States of the United Nations, as well as by other associations and organizations, companies, healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes and their families.

The WDD logo is the blue circle – the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign. The logo was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution. The significance of the blue circle symbol is overwhelmingly positive. Across cultures, the circle symbolizes life and health. The color blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the color of the United Nations flag. The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

To commemorate WDD iconic buildings and sites throughout the world will be light in the color of the blue circle symbol for diabetes – the central component of the campaign logo. The landmark illuminations are testimony to the power of our combined efforts to alter the diabetes landscape. They also provide, of course, a strong visual element to attract attention to the diabetes cause. Last year 1107 monuments and buildings were light in blue around the world.

Every year diabetes organizations and individuals worldwide develop a wide range of activities to increase diabetes awareness. In San Francisco, the Ferry Building will be illuminated in blue on the evening of November 14 and a meet up begins at 5:00 pm just across from the building.

Other ideas for ways you can involved and get others involved is by forming your own event.  Some ideas to consider include illuminating your home in blue, light a blue candle, dress up in blue for the day,  organize  a dress-up-in-blue day for diabetes at your workplace,  diabetes walks and rides, press conferences, in-school activities, sports activities, Frisbee events, workshops and exhibitions.

What are you doing on World Diabetes Day?  Share your plans and give suggestions for raising awareness.  Whatever your idea, be sure to register your activity on the World Diabetes Day website so that you can share it with the world.  Register here. http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/