Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

Last Saturday, people from the USA’s Mid-Atlantic region living with and affected by Type 1 Diabetes gathered for another TypeOneNation Research Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

This was my third DC summit, and usually I go over all the presentations in great detail, trying to pass along the information I gathered on a wide variety of topics over the course of about seven hours.

Instead of doing that again, I think I’d like to ask you a few questions. These questions are especially for those of you with TypeOneNation summits coming up in your area soon, but also for those who may have skipped this year’s DC summit and want to know what it was like. So… Let me ask you:

Where else would you get expert advice and a chance to ask questions about diabetes and exercise, and the best way to handle both, from the amazing Gary Scheiner, author of “Think Like a Pancreas”?

Where else could you find out the latest on beta cell encapsulation, including updates on clinical trials and photos of the procedure actually being done?

Where else could you find out the science behind Emotions and Diabetes from the insightful Diane Herbert?

Where else can you get all of the above and an update on the latest in Artificial Pancreas development from the excellent (and humorous) Dr. William Tambourlane?

Where else can you discover what’s on the T1D research horizon from JDRF’s National Director of Research Investment Opportunities, Tom Brobson?

Where else can you get all of this plus additional sessions, plus a great panel Q and A session with all of the presenters, moderated by the incredibly intelligent Molly McElwee Malloy?

Where else can you bring your T1 kid to share in a safe, fun environment with other T1 kids?

Where else can you meet other adults living with Type 1 Diabetes, who help share information, write blogs, and share tweets from the presentation with the world?

With Heidi, writer at D Log Cabin, who will also be with us this weekend in Las Vegas for the Diabetes Unconference(!), and Jehan, who tweets from @gigi_tweets2.
 
 
With Jenni Maizel, who was tweeting from her own account and handling the @JDRFGreaterCP account too.
 
 
This is just a sample of what you get when you go to a TypeOneNation summit. I haven’t even mentioned the exhibit hall or the book signings. Personally, I was encouraged by the fact that there seemed to be a lot more adult T1Ds in the crowd of over 900 Saturday than there were in years past. There were also lots of D-Moms and D-Dads who are learning more than ever before, who were sharing with other D-Moms and D-Dads, and were also asking questions of Type 1 adults in attendance, who were sharing their experience. During this summit, there seemed to be as much interaction and information-sharing among the tables as there was on stage.

There are still TypeOneNation summits to be held in several places around the USA, including this Sunday at the Sharonville Convention Center, about five minutes from where I grew up in the Cincinnati area. CLICK HERE to find out where the remaining summits will be held and how to register (Free!).

Until there’s a cure, we have each other. Find out the latest on Type 1 Diabetes research, the latest in what JDRF is up to, and more, in a welcoming place full of people who are climbing the same mountain. If you haven’t made the commitment yet, let me urge you: GO.

Where else?