It’s National Diabetes Week here in Australia, and many of our diabetes organisations are focussing on the dreaded theme of complications.
I know that it’s pretty easy to sit behind a computer screen and complain about something, so I’ve decided to front up behind a camera and address the campaign through a vlog.
All you need to do is hit the play button below.
(And I hope I don’t disappoint those of you hearing my voice for the first time…)
Excellent job Frank. I have followed some of your posts and this VLOG really hits home. You are a great advocate for the diabetes community.
Thank you so much, Erik!
I completely agree with you! And I enjoyed the VLOG and hearing your voice.
Thanks, Polina!
You are awesome! Thats was so great and so true. I mean I just saw a few of the posts from the diabetes association and I was like amputations? Really? C’mon guys. I am supposed to be an ambassador for these guys on healthy lifestyles and they don’t even get back to me on how they want me to be an ambassador. If it weren’t for you telling it like it is…I don’t think we would know as much… keep going!!!
I was thinking of you when I did this and that you especially would appreciate seeing me on video! Thanks, Rachel!
I couldn’t stop smiling! Felt proud of you…you’re on a roll…next stop your first book 🙂
Great vlog and nice to hear your voice! And excellent views on diabetes.
Frank, I do not necessarily agree with everything you mentioned. I grew up in a time the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s when complications ruled our life. I do understand that as a young person you have every reason to expect a long and complication free life. We have come a long way and at the risk of being an old fart, I am as worried about the immediacy of diabetes and the long term ramifications of both what I do today and what I did in my younger days.
I referred your Vlog to the TUDiabetes.org blog page for the week of July 11, 2016.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Rick. I personally worry about the long term ramifications all the time, so I don’t particularly like being reminded of it in the media. I simply feel that the end outcome of encouraging people to be healthy can be delivered in a much more positive way. That being said, I completely respect your opinion and thank you for sharing it.
Go you Frank. I’ve also argued for years that there needs to be a change to the strategies used by DA for diabetes awareness week but unfortunately they think they work. They invest considerable $s in an advertising strategy that never counts the negative impact. Whenever I bring it up all they say is, “But it isn’t targeted at type 1s.” Unless they have found a way to micro target their message (and even then I don’t think its the right message!) how can they not see that people with diabetes, their families, friends, employers and work colleagues all see the messages.
So glad you decided to do the Vlog. Happy DA Week!
Time to Rethink National Diabetes Week? - Type 1 Writes - Diabetes Blog
[…] Australia’s campaign. I made my opinion clear though my vlog last Monday (which you can watch here), and have steered clear from most of the conversation since. While it was disappointing to see […]
Diabetes Awareness Week 2016 – Same old, same old! – Edhealth Australia
[…] This year seems to be no different with Diabetes Australia’s (DA) message focused on the number of people who have a diabetes related amputation each year. Blogger @FrankSita passionately made the point in his first vlog this week called, ‘There’s more to diabetes than complications’. Amongst other things, Frank highlights the negative impact this messaging must have on young people with type 1 diabetes and their families and I would have to agree. (http://www.type1writes.com/2016/07/11/theres-more-to-diabetes-than-complications/) […]