Mi Hermano

Yesterday was a big day in the diabetes community. World Diabetes Day is the closest thing we can call a holiday and we all "celebrate" by posting, talking about, and spreading awareness. 

You have probably heard of the Big Blue Test and the Diabetes Hands Foundation who started it. You probably have heard of tudiabetes, the social networking site for people with diabetes. And if so, you have probably heard of Manny Hernandez. The guy who started it all.

I have known Manny since before he started tudiabetes, in fact I think I was the 8th member of the site. Manny is someone who is so passionate about diabetes it is almost scary.

All day long he seems to be thinking about ways to help more people with diabetes. Always looking for new avenues of getting medicine, education, and whatever else he can to people in need.

When we talk I can see the wheels turning in his head. I swear those wheels never stop and the diabetes community is lucky they don't. Each year the Diabetes Hands Foundation raises money to help people in need. He has personally travelled the world helping people first hand. That is pretty awesome.

Manny is not only a friend he is family to me. Whenever he is in town or I am in his neck of the woods we meet up and hang out. Visiting like brothers we talk about our family and the needs in the community that we can possibly help meet.

Thank you Manny for all you do. You and your foundation are making living with diabetes a little bit brighter.  

It's Her Fault

Today is World Diabetes Day.

I have had type 1 diabetes since 1990.

World Diabetes Day started in 1991.

It was not until 2005 that I found the DOC and really made my health a priority.

I found the DOC because of one person.

Christel Marchand.

She used to host a podcast called DiabeticFeed and now writes a blog called The Perfect D.

Every convention I have been invited to, every connection I have made, every life I have ever touched is directly connected to her. I think about her every single day because when I think about the DOC it all goes back to her in my eyes.

Her intelligence is only trumped by the size of her heart. My family loves her like family because that is what she has become.

Christel, there is no one else I should write about in the DOC before you today. You brought me to a community of support that saved my life and I owe it all to you!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Love, George. 

The Grand Marshal

This weekend I am participating in a JDRF walk in Las Vegas Nevada. It turns out my team captain is the Grand Marshal of the event! Sara Nicastro!

Sara was one of the first bloggers I met in person. We found out early on that she was friends with some friends of mine! It was a crazy moment and another example of how small the world is.

Sara inspires me by her desire to share her story and her life. Acceptance and caring are two words I would use to describe Sara not to mention adventurous. I mean she has travelled the world, gone to Haiti to help in the aftermath of the earthquake a few years ago, and she has even sky dived!

Nothing can stop Sara.

Like Cherise, Sara is another source of encouragement for me. She can tell in a second if a tweet or status update has a gray cloud hanging over it. Whenever that's the case I will get an email, text, or phone call asking what is going on and how she can help.

This is the support I have found online and is available to other people with diabetes too. The DOC is filled with awesome people and if there were a parade I would vote Sara the Grand Marshal. As long as I could be drum major of course. 

I almost forgot about the two epic vlogs we did. You must check both of these out!

Share how Sara has touched your life in the comments. I can't wait to see her this weekend. Also, if you are able, please donate to the walk by clicking this link. THANKS!

It's Just Her, In Words

The power of the DOC is often blows my mind. Although this all started with one disease, the ties that hold us together are my more than that.

This past year has been a difficult one for my family. Last November when my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer my first reaction was to help her find some community. Someone who could be there for her like the OC is here for me. I remember saying, "I am  going to get you in touch with my friend Babs."

Babs Campbell is a PWD and a cancer survivor. I have not had the pleasure of meeting her in person but I feel very connected to her. On the day I told her my sister was diagnosed and asked if she would reach out to her, she changed her Facebook picture to the one on the right to provide some community to my sis. What an angel!

There is a grace I feel whenever I read one of Bab's posts. She has a way of sharing her love of life and people in her words that is hard to mistake. Her compassion and faith help turn my heart towards the stuff that really matters in life, loving one another.

Also there is probably only a handful of blog posts that I have bookmarked. I have plenty of blogs bookmarked but actual posts are few. This post written by Babs is one of the greatest and most important posts I have ever read. She speaks a truth about diabetes that few have been able to express as well as she did. 

I sleep better knowing people like Babs are in the world, loving it and changing it for the better. One day I will be blessed to meet her face to face but until then reading her posts on her blog and Twitter will have to suffice.

Share your stories of Bab's below. I would love to hear more about this amazing person!

Our D-Soldier

Today is Veteran's Day and the one person I know in the DOC that is a soldier for both this country and this disease is my sister from another mister, Cherise Shockley.

On Saturday I wrote about Jaimie and told you how difficult it was to explain how much she meant to me. The same goes for Cherise, in fact, I met both of them on the same day at the same time!

Cherise is so much more than a friend to me. She is family. She is my rock when I need guidence and my motivator when I am feeling down. She lifts me up by either making me laugh or calling her mom on the phone and making her sing on speaker phone so we can have church. Seriously Cherise is amazing even before she turns on a computer or logs into Twitter.

DSMA, the DSMA Live shows, DCAF, Blue Fridays, are all brain children of Cherise. Her focus is the community both online and offline. Her work is never done because as soon as a goal is reached she is ready to get to work on the next one. No sitting around in glory. Like a soldier she does what she plans to do and gets ready for the next mission. 

That is the thing about Cherise. None if this is every for glory. It is a mission, a mission to help others and change the way the world sees people with diabetes. She does not talk about making a difference, she does it. 

I am so blessed to call her family and thankful to be able to work with her on her mission. 

I could go on and on about Cherise but I would love to hear what she means to you! Comment below and share the love!

I almost forgot one of her greatest acheivments, SUGASHEEN!