New Yorkled

I was recently asked to suggest some information for a diabetic in another country. I can’t say that I have ever done much research on the topic of diabetes in a foreign place. I’ve thought about health care and how difficult it must be for those that don’t have immediate access for the disease. Yet, I’ve never taken the time to truly research information and find the reality in the situation.

So I took this request as a good time to research. And I have to say that I didn’t like what I found. In this particular country (and in many other countries), diabetes information is not widespread. There are few websites or companies that specialize in either type 1 or type 2. I did find one particular healthcare center that had worldwide access for diabetics, which was promising. However, it didn’t appear to be readily available to those in the lower classes.

As I further researched it, I found that many diabetics in this country (especially children) do not get the specialized care needed to truly manage the disease. Companies such as Lifescan or Minimed do offer services in the country (and in many others), but I realize that these companies can be quite expensive.

The diabetic from this country feels the same push as I do to spread the word about diabetes. They want to offer websites, articles and resources of any type to diabetics in the country. They want other diabetics to know the additional treatment options out there. Overall, as diabetics, we want other diabetics to be able to live a long and healthy life with this disease and not be unnecessarily hindered by the lack of healthcare.

Lately, it seems that many career options are opening up to me through the diabetes world. As I addressed this issue with my new friend (and have continued to research it further), I felt pulled to figure out ideas on how to help the world with diabetes. The United States, my little world, is not the only place that diabetes happens. Why not take the time to help others that don’t have access to the medical care we have in the US?

I would like to know if any of you have ever considered going global with diabetes. Or if you know of any good foreign resources for other diabetics. And if not, maybe you would be interested in helping me out in a global diabetes effort.