Live In Full Color

Designers, Artists, Crafters, Creatives, Business Owners, Consumers, Students: If you don't subscribe to the wonderful 'Live in Full Color' newsletter, visit it now and enjoy! I love all the 'color topics' - I learn something new every issue! (See their blog HERE) Thank You to Julie of LIFC for the 'Blue' mention in this issue. Live in Full Color is an incredible blog of Sensational Color) Go now. Scoot. HERE.

World Diabetes Day

Monument Challenge Expected To Exceed 1000 Mark

Wherever you are or whatever you're doing, just add a little touch of blue in honour of UN World Diabetes Day on November 14th. Perhaps a blue photo on your blog or a new blue header for the day - blue backgrounds - World Diabetes Day buttons and sidebar items! - get virtual candle here. (I've added a few of my blue lovelies to this exquisite tea service I just bought at the Huntsville Salvation Army for $10.) And as you can see, my blog will be blue! Almost 600 million people worldwide have diabetes so I believe this special day of awareness is very important to all of us, don't you?

BIG NEWS:

The total number of monuments that have confirmed participation in this year's World Diabetes Day and agreed to go blue grows by the minute. Recent additions to the list include the Sydney Opera House in Australia and Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. Early indications suggest that the global total will exceed 1000. Help us share your World Diabetes Day experience. Whatever you are doing this World Diabetes Day, please make sure that your experience is shared with the global diabetes community.

******Submit high-quality images of your event.******

Wherever you are, from Fiji to Canada, we are ready to post pictures of your event. Please upload your images as quickly as possible. The sooner we receive the images, the sooner we can make them available to the global media and highlight what you are doing to mark the day. If you plan to take pictures of a lighting event, please make sure that you're equipped to get a sharp image in dark conditions. Don't forget to pack your tripod. Before you submit the image, please give it a name that will help us identify what it is and where it was taken. Follow the day minute by minute at http://www.worlddiabetesday.org.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS OF MONUMENTS TO WORLD DIABETES ORG. VIRTUAL MUSEUM (this is too cool !!!!! - go see it now !!!!) WEBSITE and share them with us on your blog!

Things Come In Threes

There have been so many wonderful things in my life. So many. Too many to even list or share with you. But there have been 3 things in my life that were the hardest to live through. One of them was the diagnosis of my tiny, tow-headed 3 year old daughter; Type 1 Diabetes. Just thinking about that moment is enough to send me in a tailspin of sobs. It was God's way of saying, 'Huh. Don't like needles eh?' Well, how about this?' It was the universe's way of shouting, 'What's important? What will you do? When will you make the change?' I cried in the tub for 2 hours straight. I cried for 2 days straight after I gave her the first needle. Bless oranges. They were my target practices. Please join me on Sat. Nov. 14th and post a 'BLUE POST' to commemorate United Nations World Diabetes Day. The Globe is set to go blue for World Diabetes Day! At the time of writing this post, more than 660 monuments - including the Empire State Building, London Eye, Christ the Redeemer, Burj al Arab and the Obelisque in Paris – confirmed they will bathe in blue for World Diabetes Day. Will you create a BLUE POST, or post a BLUE PHOTO with a link to UN World Diabetes Day or will your blog background go BLUE for Nov. 14th? I will hug you until eternity.

YOUR COUNTRY? Click on this 'List of Monuments & Buildings' to be BLUE on Nov. 14th

What Is The Diabetes Symbol?

How Many People In The World Have Diabetes?

Diabetes Cure: A Step Closer

A step closer. Sugar Bowl Sweet. I like the sound of that.

Blue Sydney November 14th

It's not blue because I'm leaving Australia. It's blue because it's World Diabetes Day and that's very, very, very important to me.

The Lion, The Switch and The Wardrobe

The Lion: Today I won't be slaying any lions. I'll be doing something far more exciting. I'm going to see my younger daughter's ultrasound! The baby is due Dec 22 or 24th. (those are the 2 dates she has to choose from) I hope to sneak a peak at the 'you know what' to see if I can tell if it's a boy or a girl, then I 'll report back to you with my guess. This is the daughter with Type 1 Diabetes (and insulin pump) so it's a high-risk pregnancy. Anyway, should be a wonderful day.

The Switch: In the meantime, my good friend in Texas, Joni - has a gorgeous feature post on Michael S. Smith that is sure to 'edutain' you. Impressive.

The Wardrobe: Sporty Casual in browns and creams. Scarf. Big faux tortoise sunglasses. Neutral lips and brown eye liner.

Gluten Free Baby

Here is my youngest daughter, joyfully basking in the sunshine; addiction to dresses seems all too obvious oui? Her partner - he is a brilliant musician and art director. She is an ad graduate and oh so many other things....special. (I am her Mother afterall) She has Type 1 Diabetes and lives gluten-free. She is pregnant and the baby is due in December during the holiday season. Now that's a good gift! She is one of my most loyal readers, so today I am sending her incredible links for her healthy lifestyle. Here you go honey, enjoy!

Gluten Free Mommy

Gluten Free Girl

Foodie View written by Tartelette

How She Stays Alive

Imagine a little machine that looks like a blackberry sitting on a person's waist. There is a cute little 'port' where the tube enters the body and feeds the soul with lifesaving nourishment. It's like a man-made pancreas organ outside the body. My daughter is like the bionic woman!

Insulin pumps are designed to deliver life-sustaining insulin at a steady rate based on an individual’s needs. A pump costs about $6,000 and an additional $3,600 a year for the insulin and associated supplies. Ontario is the first province in Canada—and is one of the first jurisdictions in the world–to provide this level of coverage for prescribed insulin pumps and supplies. Now, I ask you: Why wouldn't you want the same health care plan in your country? It is my opinion that health is a national responsibility (as is education), not part of free enterprise and profits. (Go Obama)

End Note to Investors: This is a good (very good) stock to buy.

Every 10 Seconds

Every 10 seconds a person dies of diabetes related causes. Within the same 10 seconds, 2 new people develop the disease. Each year this adds up to more than 3 million deaths and 7 million new cases around the world. Diabetes is a global epidemic with devastating human, social and economic impact. Let this day, November 14th be a day that the whole world stands together to increase awareness and a passionate determination to work together to stop this silent killer.

Photos: London Shell Building by Mike Fenton. England, Nov. 14th, 2007

Is your Country 'Blue'?

This is really something. What is your country doing? Click HERE and then scroll down to find the buildings in your country that will be 'blue' on November 14th. I can't wait to see everyone's photos! More photos will be loaded into the IDF Gallery from all over the world on Wednesday. Anyone can upload their photos to the site. Lovely. Just lovely.

United Nations World Diabetes Day

Members of the MEDIA click HERE.

Education for Everyone:
Watch this shocking "World Diabetes Day" video HERE.
(while you watch it 80 more people will have developed diabetes, one of them is a child)

Did you know?

That in the beginning, years ago, getting diabetes was a fate worse than HIV/AIDS? 2 weeks. Dead. (Thanks to two Canadian Doctors, Banting & Best, people who live with diabetes can manage their disease - but! The complications are horrific and the cost to our health care system worldwide is staggering! In 2007, the world will spend an estimated 215-375 billion USD to care for diabetes and its complications. If nothing is done over the next 20 years, the figure will rise to between 234 billion and 411 billion USD.)

Around the world if diabetes is left untreated it has a 100% death rate.

Every ten seconds someone dies from diabetes related causes and over 246 million people now have diabetes worldwide, a figure that is set to escalate to 380 million in the next generation if action is not taken now. Over 3.5 million people die of diabetes-related causes every year. The disease is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and amputation.

The World Diabetes Day Resolution was the first goal of an ambitious campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation. This is the first time a non-communicable disease has been recognized in such a way; it is an acknowledgement of the seriousness of a disease that is predicted to contribute to 6% of the world’s mortality in 2007.

Have I told you yet?

That my daughter has diabetes. How my heart aches for a cure. We can do it, right? November 14th is United Nations World Diabetes Day.

The photo was taken the year she was diagnosed. 18 years ago. So sweet and perfect body back then - oh and the Madonna pin she would never take off - she loves to sing and dance even today! (You can click on the photo to enlarge - it's all smudged with chocolate or something, but you'll see it better!)

To do nothing is not an option. Adequate health care is a human right for all mankind.

No child should die of diabetes.