Medical ID Jewelry

Nick Jonas and Bayer Diabetes Care have produced dog tags that feature a lyric from "A Little Bit Longer," the song Nick wrote about his diabetes. Two versions of the dog tags are available: one for people who would like to support the cause and another specifically for people with diabetes. The dog tag for people with diabetes has the lyric on the front, but also has the word "diabetes" on the back to document their personal fight against the disease. 

1 comment - Nov 17, 2008 -

These days, Doug Burns is a modern Sampson. The reigning Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health. Of the skinny little boy with type 1 who used to work out in the woods alone, all that remains are a wry sense of humor and an attractively self-deprecating manner. They’re unexpected in a man who’s triumphed in the uber-masculine world of bodybuilding, but there’s a lot that’s unexpected about Doug Burns.

23 comments - Sep 22, 2008 -

The exhibit hall at this year's Children with Diabetes conference in Orlando, Florida, from July 23 to 27, 2008, featured expensive and elaborate booths from well-known companies like LifeScan and large organizations such as the American Diabetes Association. But another kind of company also welcomed people to their booths. They were the diabetes start-ups, companies that were started more often than not because of an intimate connection to the world of diabetes. I spoke to representatives of five of these companies about their products, their mission, and their inspiration.

3 comments - Aug 28, 2008 -

You might think that having a disease is the last thing you would want broadcast over the World Wide Web. But for some writers, getting the word out there is the main idea. In a world inundated with celebrity gossip and angst-ridden posts, a few people rise above the online mess and use their blogs to foster a sense of community in what could otherwise be an isolating dilemma: living with diabetes.

5 comments - Jul 24, 2008 -

Before diabetes, I was a normal teenager whose greatest worry was whether I’d get an A or a B on a test. I was strong and healthy. Somehow, I took for granted all the freedoms that diabetes took away from me. Last year, at the age of fifteen, I learned that every day, even every breath, that we are given is a true gift.

3 comments - Jul 24, 2008 -

Having a health issue that requires precautions shouldn't mean the world has to know about it. Your health matters are private, but in times of a car accident or other emergency, they must be made public. “Lauren’s Hope” is a line of contemporary, interchangeable medical ID bracelets for anyone living with a health ailment or undergoing medical treatment that calls for an ID to be worn at all times.

0 comments - Jun 12, 2008 -

Just between you and me, in all my years with diabetes (thirty-five and a half to be exact) I've never worn a medic alert bracelet. While I'm no fashionista, I don't like the way they look, and I don't like the reference I make in my head - "damaged goods." Then, too, just to be clear, I've never (yet) had an incident where I needed one.

3 comments - Oct 4, 2007 -

Beaded Daisy owner Regan King, who has two kids with diabetes, started her company when her ten-year-old son couldn't find a non-traditional medical ID that he liked. Beaded Daisy makes medical ID bracelets and necklaces to fill that need at affordable prices.

1 comment - Jul 18, 2007 -

Diabetes Health magazine recently had the pleasure of interviewing Doug Burns for a lengthy feature.  He is a well-spoken and forthcoming man with a good sense of humor and an easy-going manner. Altogether, he comes across as a very nice person. On Sunday, however, Doug Burns was severely beaten by police during an episode of low blood sugar that occurred at a movie theater in Redwood City, California.

7 comments - Apr 3, 2007 -

Wearing medical identification can provide emergency medical workers with potentially life-saving information if you are in an accident or end up in an emergency room.

0 comments - Dec 1, 2003 -