Spare a Rose, Save a Child!

I awoke Saturday morning with an email in my Gmail inbox (this same email was sent to many diabetes bloggers in the DOC–Diabetes Online Community) from one of the most well-known diabetes bloggers in the world. Kerri Morrone Sparling of Six Until Me. I was curious. What could this be about? Why was she writing me? I read through the email right away rather than starring it to read later. My consensus? If there is one thing to help with.. this is it!

Spare a Rose, Save a Child!

I LOVED what I read. There are not many things I like more than connecting with people all around the country and world—learning about the individual and cultural differences and similarities we each share. I am also passionate about helping people in need. Sometimes Often, it feels like a full-time job taking care of my health and along with everything else that keeps me busy, I do not have as much time or energy as I would like to donate to causes that are important to me. That is one reason I like Diabetes Light. I am able to fit in posts to the Facebook community and write new articles here at the blog when the time is right for me—like this morning. I woke up super early and am now writing this post from the comfort of my bed. 🙂 It is also why I like this initiative. 

You may be asking. What is the Spare a Rose, Save a Child project?  It is so beautiful, lovely and everything perfect. I am excited to share about it with you. You see, as much as we all complain about our diabetes—the lows, the highs, the roller coasters of blood sugars our diabetes puts us on, there is one thing that is clear.

We are still alive.

Alive.

That’s right. As much as sometimes we wish we did not live with this condition that takes up so much of our time and emotional energy, we still have life. We arise every morning to hear the birds tweet. Maybe get a sweet cuddle from our kitty or a warm greeting from our dog—although it has only been since 11:00 pm last night since they have seen you, today, this moment, is the best in their eyes because they are in your presence. We also may get to enjoy some of our favorite things. Coffee or a mug of hot tea (my favorite lately is herbal ginger tea!). And we get to hop onto our computers to connect with each other and know we are not alone.

Well, there is something very sad. Not everyone diagnosed with diabetes gets this chance. You see, in many parts of the world, diabetes is still a death sentence as it once was here before 1921 when insulin was discovered.

Picture credit: International Diabetes Federation website

This is what this project is about. Helping others in need. Because face it. We are still alive. We got this diagnosis and although challenging on many levels, sometimes too many days of the week, we still live to experience this challenge and if we are able to, grow from it. Through our suffering, we become more compassionate and caring—not just about our immediate family and close circle of friends but the global community. Those around us in need of our help.

Here’s a little bit more about the Spare a Rose, Save a Child project (taken from the email):

We want to help the Life for a Child program, sponsored by the International Diabetes Federation, which aims to take “contributions from donors [to] go to established diabetes centers enabling them to provide the ongoing clinical care and diabetes education these children need to stay alive.”  Our idea was to take the typical “dozen roses,” so popular on Valentine’s Day, and save just one rose to spare the life of a child. “Spare a Rose, Save a Child” is simple:  buy one less rose this Valentine’s Day and share the value of that flower with a child with diabetes in the developing world.  Your loved one at home still gets flowers, and you both show some love to someone who needs it.

Will you join me? Will you help this Valentine’s Day a child in need to live? To allow them to experience the comforts and joys we get to experience each day? There could be no greater cause to me than helping those diagnosed with diabetes get a shot at life like I did when I was diagnosed at age 11.

Please join me. Whether you spare a rose out of the dozen you buy your sweetheart or just give up one coffee or latte from your favorite coffee shop this week. Join me. As soon as I saw my husband Saturday morning I told him about this email I received. I let him know how much I care about these children and that this was an important cause to me and somewhere worthy of giving our money too. I let him I would like to donate more than the cost of one rose and suggested an amount. He agreed. So this morning right after writing this post, I am going to click on the same link as you and know I am making a difference in the lives of children with diabetes around the world.

I am sending love out from Minnesota to those most in need of our care and attention with this message: Blessings to you dear child. May you be blessed with a full and happy life despite a diagnosis of diabetes.

Oh, and thanks Kerri and her fellow DOC blogger pals along with Johnson & Johnson for coming up with this GREAT idea. Collectively there can be great power in the voices of those who write blogs and all of us who use social media to advocate for diabetes.

Here is the link to donate. http://bit.ly/SpareRoseSaveChild

Thank you for your consideration.

Peace & Light,

Cynthia

I welcome you to join our positive community at Diabetes Light on Facebook where I share stories, pictures and fun each day for a healthy body, mind and spirit! You can also find us on Twitter @diabeteslight. I look forward to seeing you there!