Share Your Journey
of Living with Diabetes
Make Your Voice Heard
No one knows your story better than you. Every person living with diabetes has a unique point of view and each opinion sheds new light on a universal problem. Share your journey of living with diabetes – the struggles, the challenges, the issues – not just for your own care, but for the future care of others.
Tips for Finding Your Voice:
- Be yourself.
- Share your diagnosis and treatment challenges.
- Know your rights.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- Research your options.
- Decide what you want and what you are asking for.
- Express yourself clearly.
- Know when to be assertive, not angry.
- Don’t give up, even if feeling frustrated.
- Follow up as needed.
- It’s ok to be passionate about your beliefs.
It’s time to take action
For People Living with Diabetes
Stories matter. Share yours today. Use your voice to tell insurance providers that affordable access to diabetes treatment isn’t a matter of choice, but a medical necessity to your health.
Take ActionEmpower Yourself
For Caregivers
Diabetes can be a complex and challenging disease, for both the person that is diagnosed and caregivers. Empower yourself. Take action on behalf of your loved one and advocate to insurance providers to grant affordable access to the latest medical advances and cutting-edge technology.
Take ActionSharing their story
Leigh Fickling, Caregiver and Mom
Leigh works in disability management for a health system. She is also the parent of a diabetic. Under the American’s with Disabilities Act, people with diabetes have special rights. Leigh and her family have been advocating for their daughter and her “diabetes brothers and sisters” from the beginning. Standing up and asking for what her daughter needs is important to her and she understands that not all families are in a position to advocate, so her family is pressing forward to help pave the way for any family who comes after them.
The Facts
The Risk of Diabetes
Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., behind heart disease and cancer.
Health care costs for Americans living with diabetes are 2.3 times higher than those without.
People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation.
Today, 4,110 Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes will cause 295 Americans to have an amputation and 137 will enter end-stage kidney disease treatment.
Nearly one in four adults living with diabetes didn’t know they had the condition.
The estimated total economic cost of diagnosed diabetes is $327 billion, a 26% increase from the 2012 estimate of $245 billion.
People with diagnosed diabetes incur average medical expenditures of $16,752 per year.
The largest components of medical expenditures are hospital inpatient care (30% of the total medical cost) and prescription medications to treat complications of diabetes (30%).
Indirect costs include increased absenteeism ($3.3 billion), reduced productivity while at work ($26.9 billion) for the employed population, reduced productivity for those not in the labor force ($2.3 billion), inability to work as a result of disease-related disability ($37.5 billion), and lost productive capacity due to early mortality ($19.9 billion).
Sources:
CDC. National diabetes statistics report, 2017
Economic costs of diabetes in the US in 2017. Diabetes care. 2018 May 1;41(5):917-28.
Stokes A, Preston SH. Deaths attributable to diabetes in the United States: comparison of data sources and estimation approaches. PLoS One. 2017 Jan 25;12(1):e0170219.
Bob Parant
“I have been living with Type 1 diabetes, a silent, chronic disease, for 47 years. I feel it is my absolute responsibility to speak up on the injustices and inequities I have experienced in our healthcare system. Your story and voice can and must be heard to create positive change and shape the future for people with diabetes.”
Karen Graffeo
Program Manager, DiabetesSisters
“I’ve found these guides helpful for myself when faced with access issues. I've been proud to recommend them to our community, members of my PODS Meetup group, and people living with chronic illnesses other than diabetes.”
Kate Hall
Long-jump Olympic Hopeful
“When you encounter a barrier to accessing the best diabetes technology, use it as an excuse to hone your advocacy skills. As a serious athlete, I have learned that determination and effort lead to success. Advocacy for Access will help you build your knowledge and give you the tools you need to take action and get the technology you need to better manage your diabetes.”
Alecia Benjamin
“Developing a voice to advocate for yourself and others is empowering and integral to managing diabetes.”
Evan Deane
“As both a Type 1 diabetic and college student studying nursing for the past several years, I’ve lived at this intersectionality of patient and healthcare professional. My time as a student has been some of the most demanding and has made managing my diabetes an even greater priority.”
Take Action
Advocate for the change you want to see, for yourself and for future individuals living with diabetes. A few simple steps can create positive change for affordable access.
