Global Stories
Necessary Baggage: Lessons Learned in Senegal
6 Dec 2018, 10:29 a.m. in Global Stories by Becca Golden
It took experiencing a situation where the healthcare available felt scarily inadequate to truly internalize the medical privilege I have enjoyed throughout my life. My time in Senegal put the hardship of diabetes in perspective and helped me truly appreciate the resources that I have. Read more
Lack of Knowledge about Diabetes is Killing us
24 Nov 2018, 3:11 p.m. in Global Stories by Johnpeter Mwolo
For me, I hid myself for more than 10 years. I would have rather died than have someone find out I was diabetic. I did that because of misinterpretations from many people due to lack of knowledge about it. I had to tell my mom that no one should know that I’m diabetic unless it was necessary. As a result, those few who knew came up with a lot of their own interpretations about it. I was told many times that traditional herbs would cure me completely. Obviously, none of those worked and I am still diabetic today. Read more
Raising My Voice at Eli Lilly
9 Oct 2018, 2:57 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, Global Stories by Krystal Davis
The whole experience of the demonstration showed me that I am not alone. My voice was heard. My daughter said throughout the day that she met great people. She also networked and built relationships with others who are supporting family members or close friends with diabetes, just as she supports me, and it showed her that we are all going through this battle together. We all have voices that matter. Read more
Pamoja Advocacy Training in Ghana
20 Sep 2018, 2:56 p.m. in Global Stories, News & Statements by Pamojan Advocates
‘Pamoja’ is a Swahili word that means together. This was the underpinning spirit of the advocacy training. Pamoja advocates worked together on education-focused advocacy goals throughout the training. Goals are country-specific, but similar enough that sharing and support can happen between all the advocates from each of the five countries. Read more
Crossing Borders to Afford Insulin
16 Aug 2018, 3:18 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, Global Stories by Robin Cressman
I certainly learned a lot buying insulin in Tijuana, but the most powerful lesson by far was that I have options, and so do other diabetics. They are not always easy, and they may take some creativity, resourcefulness, and gas money, but this is at least one more anecdotal report of an American going elsewhere for their insulin. Read more
For Life with less Pain in Croatia
3 Aug 2018, 2:27 p.m. in Global Stories by Maja Vuković
Our initiative had no funding and we used social media to communicate effectively. We achieved our goal thanks to the persistence of people living with diabetes coming together to make a change! Read more
A Parent's Perspective on Struggling with Insulin Costs
31 Jul 2018, 9:33 a.m. in #insulin4all USA, Global Stories by Dianne Saltzman
I am not insulin dependent. My daughter Hattie has type 1 diabetes, and shares her story of using another person’s insulin. She lives with the condition day in and day out, but I – like so many others – live under the strain of the financial and emotional turmoil caused by the essential need for my family to get and afford insulin. Read more
The Pain of Diabetes in Morocco
2 Jul 2018, 2:49 p.m. in Global Stories by Redouane Zerraa
Health care in Morocco is inadequate, so living with diabetes is a major handicap for some families. Illiteracy and poverty are huge barriers to a healthy life with the condition. The government and responsible organizations do not provide enough support to patients in terms of medicine or education. Read more
Venezuela Crisis: a Type 1 Diabetes Perspective
25 Jun 2018, 1:38 p.m. in Global Stories by Isabella Pieretti
Having lived in Venezuela most of my life, I never had problems getting my insulin and supplies until 2012. At that time, diabetics like me began to have difficulty acquiring the supplies we needed every day, such as insulin and test strips. The Government stopped providing the pharmaceutical companies with the necessary finances in American dollars to import medicines. Read more
Finding Strength with Type 1 Diabetes in Macedonia
15 Jun 2018, 1:18 p.m. in Global Stories by Tanja Shatanovska
It was not always so easy, especially when I was facing an unfamiliar situation. Back in 1998 when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, only the insulin and needles were available free of charge. My parents had to buy the blood glucose metes, blood glucose test strips and lancets. But, after some time, the blood glucose self-testing equipment was covered for all people with diabetes. Read more