Blue Heel Society 2012...a year in review

Hey there! We hope you have had a wonderful holiday season! Each one of us at Blue Heel Society has been busy doing things behind the scenes but also taking time to be with our families and just enjoying the holidays and each other. I was sitting down the other day and started looking back at all BHS has done this past year. It's neat to look back at our fb posts from the early months of 2012 and see where we have come from and where we are going.

Here are some of the highlights (and in no particular order):

1. Rebel Race...A meet up of MA peeps in dirt, mud, racing, running, fire jumping and diabetes awareness!! AWESOME!!

2. We cheered on co-founder, Tony Cervati (T1R) on his second attempt at Tour Divide. While he didn't complete it he made it further than he did the year before AND accomplished his goals he set for himself!! AND proving that diabetes does not stop him from doing anything!! WTG Tony!! You can follow him here.

3. We participated and helped promote Blue Friday's. In case your new, or you've been living under a rock for the past year, it was a day (every Friday) in which you wore blue and then used it as your platform to talk about diabetes awareness. My coworkers even got in on the blueness and would say "Hey! I've got my blue on!!" Let's keep up the Blue Friday tradition alive through 2013!! You can find their fb page here.

4. We participated in several Blog Carnivals this past year. I always see them as a challenge to complete each entry (of course with the help of Thomas!!) and even the topics that seem less than fun usually turn out pretty good. The month long ones are good, take a little planning and can be a little exhausting but I love doing it!!

5. WDD or World Diabetes Day!! November 14th is a day set aside for ALL diabetics. It's a fun day to come together, wear blue and be a presence in the public eye and spread diabetes awareness!!

6. BHS introduced Fan of the Week...a fun little shout out to our most active peeps. If you are chosen we write up a little article about you and your diabetes efforts. It's a great way for us to get to know you!! So keep your comments and likes coming to get chosen as our Fan of the Week!

7. Ryan Reed (a NASCAR driver who also has T1D) shows his Blue Heel Society love with his racing blue shoes!! Plus Tony and Diane got to meet up with him this past year. Just a great opportunity to meet other PWD and spread the love!  You can check him out and follow him here.

8. BHS launched our sister site:  The Diabetes Monster, you can check it out here. As our fb page says its a place to discuss all things funny or fail about living with Diabetes! Feel free to share your stories there!

9. Blue Heel Society has been nominated by WEGO Health for "Best Ensemble Cast" through our blogging and advocacy efforts. Of course it wouldn't and couldn't be done without all of you! Thank you!!

10. Both our co-founders, Tony Cervati and Diane Pridmore, were chosen as featured WDD "Hero of the Week" by the International Diabetes Federation. Too cool!

11. BHS participated and helped promote the 2nd Annual Diabetic Ice Cream Social. Who knew a bunch of diabetics and their loved ones could have so much fun and create so much controversy?!?! We banned together proving that diabetics can eat ANYTHING!! That moderation and carb counting were key to success.

12. We saw the ugly side of diabetes here in our BHS family with a second diagnosis in my family. And countless newly diagnosed and additional diagnosis of diabetes within our DOC. But in each case we rallied and came together in love, support and comfort.

13. Funny that I have ended on 13...totally NOT intentional but somehow VERY fitting for 2013!! The best for last! One of our greatest accomplishments to what BHS is all about...

our LUMINARIES!!

It's about coming together in OUR own community through events and occasion's designated at spreading awareness and advocacy in Diabetes. Got a book club? Why not meet up at your designated location in blue shoes? Think of the impact you would have...a group of people meeting to discuss a book, ALL wearing blue shoes and promoting diabetes awareness....don't think it will work? I challenge you...a group of people all in blue shoes...someone is bound to notice and ask!! Try it! 

Well...it seems as if I've written a book here! Thanks for reading till the end and taking a look back at Blue Heel Society 2012! Thank you for all your love, support and sporting your blue shoes to walk along with us in our battle against diabetes! 

Happy New Year! 

Tony, Diane, Thomas and Jen

Extra! Extra! November is turning BLUE!!

Day 6 WEGO Challenge: New-style post.

NOVEMBER TURNS BLUE!!
by field reporter: Jen Loving

No matter where you live or what you've seen on your fb newsfeed (other than annoying political ads) you may have noticed more blue.

What's it for? What's going on?

Well, BLUE, is the universal color for diabetes awareness. Doesn't matter what TYPE of diabetes...ALL diabetes. This is the month that millions will raise awareness  and advocacy for a growing disease...diabetes. It doesn't discriminate. It likes all ages, races, religions. It doesn't hold back and can be deadly if not taken care of.

The diabetes community will come together on November 14th, also known as WDD or World Diabetes Day. The date is significant because it is the birthday of Dr. Banting. The discoverer of insulin; a drug that is used to keep all Type 1 diabetics alive and used with some Type 2 diabetics as well. Many communities are organizing events to light up significant landmarks blue. For example, Niagara Falls will be lit blue for 15 minute increments starting at 9:45 pm, 10:45 pm and 11:45 pm and it doesn't stop there. According to the International Diabetes Federation web page, 1000 monuments/buildings will be lit blue in 80 different countries!! All in the name of diabetes!

It truly is an amazing evening.

All gathered for diabetes.

All supporting diabetes.

 Not sure if there is an event in your area? Contact your local diabetes chapter to see what will be lit in blue. If you know of an event be sure to share so that others may join you! No matter if you attend a local event or don't have one around you ...be sure to show your support and wear BLUE!!

Six Months...a birthday and a countdown!

Today is a BIG day!! We, as in BHS, turn 6 Months old!! It has been wonderful sharing with you, all things diabetes, these past few months. We've grown so much so quickly and it's all because of YOU!! Spreading the Blue Heel love in your community and throughout the DOC! We are blessed to have you all!!

AND...it's the countdown to World Diabetes Day 2012!! I encourage you to start thinking of events to have,  to turn all things blue in your community 11/14/12!! So, in honor of WDD we would like you to continue the sentence...

"Dear Diabetes,"

I will be sharing my "Dear Diabetes" letter this week with you. If you feel compelled to share please send us an EMAIL or PM on our Facebook page and we can feature your letter in our blog posts (anonymously too if you wish). We realize these will be very personal but thought it would be good therapy to just lay it all out and tell Diabetes just how you feel WITHOUT judgment!

 And who gets it more than the DOC??

I know, speaking for myself, that even though I have a VERY supportive spouse and family that sometimes I can't say how I feel. I'm too busy functioning.


When's the next pump site change, next calibration, how many carbs are in that...etc.

I just want to say it (or scream, cry or rejoice...yes, rejoice) and I don't want a pat on the back or an "oh, I'm sorry it'll get better". I just want to vent and move on...

NO RESPONSE...

just say what I need to say and get it off my chest! Just writing it out, even on paper, and then crunching it into a ball and setting it on fire is freeing enough!! BUT...if you want to share please feel free to do so. 


One, you might feel better and two, you might just make an impact on someone out there that needs to know they aren't alone!

"Free your mind...and the rest will follow..." 

(yep. En Vogue...sorry, it was in my head for some reason!!)

HOPE

March 1st marked a National Day of Hope for Diabetes. The DOC flooded the walls of Facebook with pictures of people who had inscribed HOPE on their hands.

Loving Family Hope

It was so inspiring to see all the different ways people displayed their HOPE. Some were simply stated while others went more elaborate. Some didn't even have diabetes but wrote it for support of their family member or friend! That's what is so awesome about the DOC. We are here for each other. I think I can safely say that EVERYDAY is a Day of Hope! You can even see it in Sir Frederick G. Banting Square; the Flame of Hope! It was lit in 1989 and "while the Flame of Hope is a symbol of hope, it is also a reminder that insulin is only a control for diabetes, not a cure. Only when that cure is at last found, will the Flame of Hope be extinguished."  

(taken from http://www.diabetes.ca) 

Flame of Hope


This got me thinking about everyday signs of HOPE.  Hope can be found  in  the Endo's office, when your Doctor gives you encouraging words. HOPE can be found online through updates on medical advancements. HOPE can be found in your child's eyes. Basically, HOPE can be found anywhere you look....sometimes it's just in the way you look at it. For me, I find HOPE on my drive home from work...on a tree...YES, I said a tree! 
Now, I don't know if this is someone who is just plain lazy and doesn't want to turn their lights off, let alone, take them down but for me I see these blue lights and think diabetes, my daughter, DOC, World Diabetes Day, Blue Heels, support, love...HOPE! This simple little tree sitting in someones front yard is my symbol of Hope! And what if they turn the blue lights off and take them down? Will my Hope be lost? Nope! I've got all of YOU!! <3 

What BLUE means to me...

I HATE blue!! Before you get your heels all in a twist...let me explain. Blue has been in my life FOREVER!! Those of you that have attended a catholic school know what I mean. Blue is everywhere...it was in my school uniform, it was in my spirit wear, sports uniforms,shoes, backpacks, sweaters...like I said, it was everywhere...for 8 years!! (I think I chose a public high school just to get away from blue!) I stayed away from blue like it was the plague. If the option was blue or naked...I'd take naked, thank you very much!! Fast forward many, many years and now my T1D daughter is attending the EXACT same catholic school wearing the EXACT same uniform!!!

(My girls, Nora & Evy. The uniform on the left is the one I wore!)

But now with the push for a circle to denote the universal symbol of diabetes and a BLUE circle at that, I've started to see blue, in a different way. Now, I smile when I see blue. I am SEEKING blue, everywhere I go!  My first purchase of blue shoes set me over the edge and I became a "blue-for-life'er".  I'm one of those people that when I'm committed to something, I obsess. My husband knows this... for Christmas he bought me a blue jacket, blue Converse and a blue Pandora bead. He said I could wear them to all my diabetes events.(Insert "AWE" here...I love that man!) I can't go into a store without looking for blue clothes and of course, blue shoes!! It's so bad that every time I see something blue, I squeal in delight! I've even got my sister looking...and she is NOT a shopper!!

   

(My first pair!!)

But what does all this mean?!?! (besides the fact that I obviously need therapy!!) Now...blue means: diabetes, DOC, unity, strength, love, but most of all it means HOPE. Hope that with each day, new medications and  new devices will improve the health of my diabetic daughter and  HOPE for what we all so desperately want...a CURE!! To see diabetics, their family and friends all together,  all wanting a cure...people we don't even know yet brought together by this dreadful disease, showing solidarity by wearing blue is a sight to behold.


(WDD 2011 Cincy, OH Artistic Vision)
I wear blue to support my diabetic daughter and raise awareness for diabetes. It's amazing how a blue pair of shoes can turn into a conversation about diabetes. Don't believe me? Try it! It happens to me all the time! So, I guess I've come full circle...the color I've despised for years has now become my new favorite color! I <3 blue!! 

HOPE, STRENGTH, LOVE & BLUE!   

On the eve of World Diabetes Day, 2011...a movement was born. A simple but so powerful statement made by persons living with and affected by the different Types of  Diabetes. On this night, we....birthed the Blue Heel Society. Our mission? To spread advocacy and promote awareness about all Types of  Diabetes by identifying ourselves in killer footwear. Our tag line? Type 1? Type 2? Whatever your "type" you can ROCK a blue shoe.

It's very straight forward, dolls. You need not offer any money nor raise funds. We don't want your money. We want your passion. Our organization is in it's infancy and already planning to do "shoe-ins" to raise awareness....all you need are blue shoes. Man or woman. Come show love and support for all of our kids...our husbands, our parents....yourself. Be part of the change today. Keep checking back. We have you covered coast to coast in the States. We want you to wear your blue...with pride. Thank you for being part of it.