Celebrating World Diabetes Month

November 4, 2019

It’s finally November, our favorite month of the year! Celebrating World Diabetes Month and World Diabetes Day is really important to us and something we look forward to. Living with diabetes is a 365 days a year, 24/7 job, which means you deserve to celebrate all month long! Part of this celebration includes treating yourself, but it’s important to use the month as an opportunity to raise and spread awareness. So that’s the question: how can you celebrate World Diabetes Month?

First and foremost, make sure to spend some time for yourself. This can look like many things, and odds are you already have something in mind. The important thing here is that you actually do it. We often have things we tell ourselves we should do but never end up getting around to it. Not this month. You deserve some self recognition, a nod for all of your hard work. So whether it’s a massage, a night out or even a vacation, make sure you do it this month.

One of the biggest parts of celebrating World Diabetes Month is spreading awareness. Even though we’ve come a long way with science and public health knowledge, diabetes and the differences between the types are commonly misunderstood. The number one thing all of us can do is start the conversation. Talk about it at work, school, the gym, with friends, family, and even the barista making your coffee. Tell them November is World Diabetes Month, what the differences are between the types, and what the common symptoms are. Let them know where they can go for more information and where they can donate to research. The more people know, the bigger the impact and the quicker individuals realize the symptoms their experiencing may be diabetes. Don’t be shy this month, spread the word and share your knowledge!

Another way to raise awareness is to organize an event at work or with your family and friends. This can come to life in many ways. You can organize a walk or run, a game night, or even give a little presentation. If you do something like a walk or game night, see if you can raise money to donate to your favorite diabetes organization. No matter what the event looks like, spend some time discussing what diabetes looks like and what individuals should keep their eyes out for.

Finally, wear blue! Every day you possibly can, wear blue, and tell people why you are. As we’re sure you know, blue is the world associated color for diabetes. Once you tell others what the color represents, they’ll be reminded of diabetes every time they see you wearing it. Encourage others to join you in wearing the color and to tell others why they’re doing so, especially on World Diabetes Day, November 14th. Imagine how special it would be to see a large portion of your community wearing blue that day! Wearing blue is one of the easiest ways we can raise awareness.

Enjoy celebrating World Diabetes Month, because you deserve it. Spend some time for yourself and acknowledge all of the hard work you’ve put in to manage your diabetes. Educate the community and spread awareness where you can. Happy World Diabetes Month!