Here we go again...
Sorry for being so MIA lately... I'm rapidly finishing my thesis (it's due in less than 2 weeks) and trying to make a baby! So, I've been busy :)
I had to share this with my diabetic/PWD friends...
Yesterday the San Diego Union Tribune ran an article regarding Padres pitcher David Wells being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Wells is quoted as saying "This is a major lifestyle change. I don't want this going to Type 1 diabetes." WTF?!
Here we go again... the mass media complete misunderstanding of diabetes! And now this ridiculous baseball player (I'm a huge baseball fan, by the way) gets all authoritative on a complex disease that he's had for all of, what, a week... maybe.
So, I promptly emailed the reporter the following message:
I had to write to correct one of Mr. Wells comments regarding his diabetes diagnoses.
Type 2 diabetes does not "go to" or "turn into" type 1. They are completely distinct diseases, with type 1 being caused by an autoimmune disorder and type 2 caused by heredity, eating habits, and inactivity.
I understand that what he probably meant to say was that he'd like to avoid having to take insulin.
Nonetheless, his comment was ignorant and should have been caught by someone on your reporting staff. Instead this article serves to perpetuate the public's misunderstanding of the different types of diabetes.
Please, in the future, when reporting on diabetes, be sure to clearly understand the differences between type 1 and type 2, so that these damaging misunderstandings do not continue.
I doubt this will really do any good... but it made me feel better to send it!
I had to share this with my diabetic/PWD friends...
Yesterday the San Diego Union Tribune ran an article regarding Padres pitcher David Wells being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Wells is quoted as saying "This is a major lifestyle change. I don't want this going to Type 1 diabetes." WTF?!
Here we go again... the mass media complete misunderstanding of diabetes! And now this ridiculous baseball player (I'm a huge baseball fan, by the way) gets all authoritative on a complex disease that he's had for all of, what, a week... maybe.
So, I promptly emailed the reporter the following message:
I had to write to correct one of Mr. Wells comments regarding his diabetes diagnoses.
Type 2 diabetes does not "go to" or "turn into" type 1. They are completely distinct diseases, with type 1 being caused by an autoimmune disorder and type 2 caused by heredity, eating habits, and inactivity.
I understand that what he probably meant to say was that he'd like to avoid having to take insulin.
Nonetheless, his comment was ignorant and should have been caught by someone on your reporting staff. Instead this article serves to perpetuate the public's misunderstanding of the different types of diabetes.
Please, in the future, when reporting on diabetes, be sure to clearly understand the differences between type 1 and type 2, so that these damaging misunderstandings do not continue.
I doubt this will really do any good... but it made me feel better to send it!
posted by Kelsey @ 3:05 PM
9 Comments:
At 6:49 PM,
Kris said…
Oh that is SO irritating! I wrote to one of our news reporters once for a stupid comment like that (lumping type 1 and 2 together) I never got a response but it made me feel better.
People really need to be better educated. Good for you for writing in!
At 7:40 PM,
Keith said…
Way to hang in there on the thesis and hope it comes to a quick conclusion.
Very well articulated response to the reporter. You go girl!
At 7:57 AM,
Scott K. Johnson said…
I'm sure it felt good to send that in, and that is the only way to educate the folks that put that kind of stuff out there.
So, from a PWD - thank you for taking the time to send that in!
Hope all is going well with you guys in the meantime.
At 4:45 PM,
Major Bedhead said…
Oh, I HATE that. Thanks for writing to correct the reporter. I've done that many times. Sometimes it does do some good, although most of the time, nothing comes of it.
I had someone comment to me the other day that O would outgrow her diabetes, since she had "juvenile" diabetes. I probably shouldn't have been so snippy, but I replied "Unless she manages to generate a new pancreas, she'll have diabetes until they find a cure." Gah!
At 6:17 PM,
cc said…
that is irritating!!! people in high profile positions should make more of an effort not to put their foot in their mouth and make damaging ignorant comments. arrrgghhhh
At 1:15 PM,
Johnboy said…
Hey Kelsey, you knocked it out of the park!
All the best,
J.B.
BTW - Have you gotten your Cozmo upgrade yet?
At 4:36 PM,
Lori Rode said…
I'm glad you did that.
As a type 2, I'm hoping that his diagnosis focuses some energy and attention on the TYPE 2s. (All you cute and cuddly type 1s are, IMHO, very much in the forefront of the disease.) That a professional athlete can be diagnosed with this...well, OK, baseball pitchers are not exactly known for their muscle definition or aerobic capacity...but anyway...that a professional athlete can be diagnosed with type 2, I hope, it can reinforce the idea that NOT EVERYONE with type 2 fits the stereotype of fat couch potato, eating a diet of french fries and ice cream.
I do not make any of these statements with the intent to minimize type 1 DM, or offend any with the diagnosis of type 1 DM. Since we share the label 'diabetes' there's bound to be some confusion.
At 3:06 PM,
Kelsey said…
Johnboy,
Thanks for reminding me, I need to submit the paperwork for my Cozmo upgrade!
Did you receive yours yet?
At 4:34 PM,
Nicole P said…
I'm SO glad you wrote something to the paper. It makes a difference to have our voices heard in this way - I really believe that.
Hope all is well.
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