the whinery 2.0

My sister was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (Juvenile diabetes) in the fall of 2000.

It was a week to thanksgiving and it didn’t seem like we had anything to be thankful for.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, 285 million people will live with diabetes in 2010.

That’s 285 million stories, 285 million faces.

She’s one in 285 million faces of diabetes.

One in 285 million people whose life is affected by this disease.

While diabetes is a part of her, it doesn’t define who she is.

Nine years on, I’m thankful for her life.

Saturday is World Diabetes Day.

One day a cure.

I’m supposed to write about diabetes today.

A disease is generally just that until it touches you personally; then it become the most detestable of them all.

There probably wouldn’t be a cure for diabetes in my lifetime – I know it’s a sad and defeatist outlook.

My hope however is that whatever we’re doing today is working towards a cure. And when the cure finally comes it would be through all our efforts.

For anyone out there living with diabetes… keep on keeping on.