Why I Give: George’s Story

During the holiday season, the American Diabetes Association® encourages people to share their story on why they give to our mission. Whether it’s through local events, planned giving, one-time donations or in memory of a loved one, these gifts go a long way in helping us save lives and continue the search for a cure.

The following are stories from our generous supporters and organizations that have donated or fundraised on our behalf throughout the years.

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Audra on the cover of “Children with Diabetes”

My name is George “Stoney” Pavlik and I have had a long-lasting relationship with diabetes and the American Diabetes Association.

At the age of 7, my daughter Audra was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As her condition deteriorated throughout her college years, she had kidney failure. Although I donated a kidney to her on her 26^th birthday to extend her life, she passed away from long-term complications in 2012 at the age of 34.

After Audra developed diabetes, she and I were invited to participate in an Association publication. She was the cover girl of the and photographed many times for other Association publications. This was our first of many experiences with the Association.

Later, I became an active member of—and am now serving as a current international officer (Supreme Royal Patron) in—the Order of the Amaranth, a Masonic-affiliated organization whose philanthropic project is the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation (ADARF). Having served earlier as President of the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation (ADF), I have worked closely with the Association with our fundraising efforts and the administration of the funds raised by the ADF for the ADARF. Our support has amounted to nearly $15 million since 1979. This is truly an amazing accomplishment.

As President of the ADF Board, I attended the Association’s 73^rd Scientific Sessions conference in 2013, in Chicago, and saw first-hand the remarkable assembly of researchers from across the world working to find the cures for diabetes. It was an honor meeting with the researchers our contributions have supported, several of them at their research facilities.

I hope my story can inspire others to help support the Association’s research programs. The rise of diabetes diagnoses is destined to become a medical tsunami. I call diabetes a “gateway disease” because it opens the door to such a wide variety of life-threatening complications. This is why we need to solve the riddle very soon. What individuals with diabetes used to brush aside as “a little bit of sugar” has to be recognized as “a whole lot of trouble.” If diabetes overcomes our medical community, we are all in trouble.

Children are the focus of this holiday season. With the current rise in the number of children being diagnosed with diabetes so early in life, would not a cure for diabetes be the gift of life for a child who is at risk? My daughter spent her seventh Christmas in the hospital, being diagnosed with diabetes! I know the heartbreak of a parent of a child who suffers with diabetes, and I want to spare this experience for others. I still cry over her loss.

As a result of my daughter’s experiences and my involvement with the Association, I along with all of the members of the Order of the Amaranth continue our dedication to help fund research programs. Through our fundraising and information-sharing we are dedicated to finding the cure for diabetes so that others may be saved from the ravages of this disease.

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We hope you’re inspired by George’s story as much as we are. Please take a moment now to make a generous year-end gift to change the future of diabetes. Your donation, no matter what size, will help us fund cutting-edge research and also allow us to advocate for billions of dollars of federal government research and provide community-based programs to help people across the U.S. live healthier lives today.

Visit diabetes.org/donate to help make a difference.

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Colgate Total Encourages the Diabetes Community to Keep Laughing

Understanding how challenging managing diabetes can sometimes be, the funny and talented performer Joey Fatone lead the “30 Days of Laughter” campaign to remind people that sometimes laughter can feel like the best medicine. “When my father was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, our family was shocked. But we’re a big, loving group and we all help him together every day. I know that humor in the face of challenges is vital and I’m excited to share that with other families touched by diabetes.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with diabetes are two times more likely to develop gum disease. From Nov. 12 through Dec. 11, we joined forces with Colgate Total and shared LOL-worthy content across social channels including #30DaysofLOL videos, jokes, and apps to raise awareness about the potential link between diabetes and gum disease. Check out this close encounter with the one and only Joey Fatone!

Are you a sucker for selfies? So are we! mySugr aims to “make diabetes suck less.” They recently launched the Monster Selfie app to help create moments of laughter that are captured on camera and can be instantly shared with friends. Next time you snap a selfie, share the screen with a monster to show your support for friends with diabetes.

Managing diabetes can be extremely challenging, but as they say – laughter can be the best medicine. Using the hashtag #30DaysofLOL, we hope that you’ll LOL once or twice and maybe even create something of your own to share!

#30DaysofLOL was all about sharing laughs, but diabetes and oral health are serious business. “Not many people with diabetes know about the increased risks of developing gum disease or how oral health may can affect overall health,” says said Dr. Foti Panagakos, global director of scientific affairs and research at Colgate-Palmolive. “‘30 Days of Laughter’ will help bring awareness and prevention to this community with a bit of healthy laughter along the way.”

It’s not only important to manage your health, but to do so with a smile. Please learn more about this issue, share the info with the people you love, and help them keep smiling.

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Living with Diabetes in College: Hannah

For young adults living with diabetes, preparing for college can be a difficult time. Managing diabetes while trying to make sense of a new world, social network and expectations can be especially challenging. You’re not alone! There are many resources in place to help support this transition.

The following are stories shared by College Diabetes Network (CDN) Students, involved in CDN’s Student Advisory Committee (SAC), about their experiences heading off to college, and navigating life on campus, with diabetes.

The College Diabetes Network provides programs for young adults with diabetes to help make their college experience safer and more successful. The American Diabetes Association is working with CDN to help further this goal.

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Name and age: Hannah, 20

School: Simmons College (Boston), Class of 2017

My parents and health care team were incredibly helpful with my transition to college. They allowed me to become more and more independent in the years preceding college. I’m now a junior, and my mom still texts me often about how my blood glucose levels are and brings me supplies to my cross-country meets. I know I have the option to go to both of my parents if I have any problems, because we have kept an open line of communication from the start.

My diabetes educator provided me with a lot of take-home information packets about handling sick days, how to approach my school’s health center and so on. She also gave me paperwork so I was able to go get my A1C test done during the first semester. Being honest with your health care team and parents is one of the most important aspects of having an easier transition to college. In no way is it easy to leave the comfort of your home and familiarity of your schedule and food choices. But having a support system, remaining honest about your health and being patient with the overall transition to college will be helpful in the long run.

Simmons College is in the heart of the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, so I always have the option to visit a number of hospitals. I have gone to my school’s disability services and gotten accommodations through them if I happen to have diabetes issues during my classes—like a pump malfunction, or needing to treat low blood glucose.

And while my education is priority, I still try to stay active with the diabetes community as a whole. I participated in (and tracked my blood glucose the whole time during) a 150-mile bike ride from Woburn, Massachusetts, to the University of New England in Maine two summers ago. I also have attended Camp Carefree in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, for the last 11 summers in varying roles from camper to counselor. I have tried to stay active because I always meet so many amazing people with diabetes who inspire me to continue to aim higher in all my goals. It’s also a great opportunity to learn from others, to learn about products for people with diabetes and to learn how to educate others about what it is like to live with diabetes in college today.

We also recently started our CDN chapter at Simmons. The whole process of meeting up with fellow students with diabetes to establish this group has been amazing. As our school is primarily health science-focused, we want to provide more sessions in which we can educate people on what it is like to live every day with diabetes, especially in college. Personally, I want to get more information out to students, faculty and beyond about the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There is a lack of knowledge on this subject and it can be frustrating to feel stereotyped. Another goal our chapter has is to work with school staff to make nutritional values more readily available with dining hall food. That way, students with diabetes can give more accurate amounts of insulin for meals or snacks—and all people eating there can make better food choices.

Being involved in the student community is a great time for people to get to know me. The first fact people learn about me is that I have type 1 diabetes. The next fact they learn is the difference between the types of diabetes. I have had type 1 since I was 2, so I am very comfortable talking about it and I find it a great way to educate others. Most of my friends and my roommate, upon finding out about my diabetes, were very curious and wanted to know about when I was diagnosed, what I have to do every day to maintain my blood glucose and what my range is. Their questions have been ongoing since I met most of them my first year at school, and it warms my heart to know how curious they are and how much they care about my health. As for my professors, I don’t immediately tell them unless I find it necessary.

Recently, I have had more peers with type 1 diabetes approach me on how to handle the transition to college. This is very new to me because I used to be the one who felt overwhelmed! Now I am a resource to younger students with increasing opportunities to lead discussions on type 1 diabetes with people all around campus.

Before heading out to college, I do wish I had been more familiar with using a continuous glucose monitor. I have had one for a few years but avoided using it due to the intense application process and the inflexibility for the rotation of sites. In hindsight, I realize these cons don’t outweigh the benefits of wearing the CGM. Being able to watch trends on a CGM is highly beneficial during a busy day of classes.

As an incoming college student, you will probably have a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, have fun and make good choices! Whether it’s to your doctor or a support group online or a friend with diabetes, it’s better to ask than to be left wondering.  College will bring a lot of new experiences, and diabetes doesn’t need to limit all you want to do. Go out to dinner with your friends, get pizza at 11 p.m. (not too often, though—everything in moderation!), join the dance team or student government.

College will be some of the best and most challenging years of your life. It goes by fast, so have fun, be yourself and get out of your comfort zone every once in a while!

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The College Diabetes Network (CDN) is a 501c3 non-profit organization, whose mission is to use the power of peers, access to resources, and grassroots leadership to fill the gaps experienced by young adults with diabetes and make their college experience safer and more successful. CDN’s vision is to empower young adults with diabetes to thrive in all of their personal, healthcare, and scholastic endeavors. CDN has over 80 campuses with 60+ affiliated chapters.

Diabetes Forecast magazine and the College Diabetes Network recently published a “Thrive Guide for Young Adults” with tips for doing college with diabetes. Visit diabetesforecast.org and diabetes.org for more information.

 

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