With the end of the year approaching, I wanted to write a few blog posts with the idea of pointing you toward some important (to me, anyway) diabetes organizations.
I recognize that JDRF and the American Diabetes Association are important non-profits that deserve your support as well. But I want to dedicate these posts to other organizations that are doing important work to further the cause and improve the lives of everyone living with diabetes.
If you have a few dollars left at the end of the year, consider making a donation to these worthy organizations.
One other thing: I was not asked to write nor am I getting anything for writing about these groups.
You Can Do This Project
From their website, here’s the official language for what You Can Do This Project is all about:
”You Can Do This is a grassroots video movement, created by and for people with diabetes, that provides validation, hope, and encouragement through honest talk.
We are not a registered non-profit, we do not have any corporate sponsorships, and no one gets paid to work on this. We do what we can with what we have (and with the time we have outside of our “real world” jobs) because we are passionate about helping others find peer-to-peer support.”
I will also add this: You Can Do This Project has positively affected the lives of people living with and affected by diabetes by providing a window through which viewers can see that their experiences are not unique; that their challenges are not easy; and that their failures and successes should always be met with support and encouragement.
Started over three years ago by Kim Vlasnik of Texting My Pancreas fame, YCDT Project has, over the years, shared video from Type 1s, Type 2s, those living with LADA, athletes, parents, and just recently, parents of kids that were diagnosed under the age of two. They’ve covered topics like diagnosis stories, diabetes burnout, going to college, and much, much more. The whole spectrum, really. Whatever you’re dealing with, you’re likely to find a video about it that will help you feel less alone.
Look, I know that You Can Do This Project isn’t going to cure diabetes. But for me, just spending a little time there is pretty powerful medicine. And I am far from alone in this belief. Just a look at their media page will tell you how many others find this space pretty therapeutic too.
And don’t forget: This is all being put together, hosted, and promoted (often in person, in various locations) by people working on their own time, free of charge. Doesn’t that make you want to support them all the more? Obviously, any support you can give will make a huge difference.
You Can Do This Project is not a non-profit organization. Instead, it is a for-power vehicle that enlightens and uplifts every single day.
To make a donation to You Can Do This Project, simply go here and join the movement:
http://youcandothisproject.com/donate/
Wednesday, another look at a diabetes organization worthy of your time and money.