In the Trenches: Diabetes Dad
The American Girl Story
This story is an example of everyday ways to grab your precious attention: there is the story of when American Girl announced that they were going to provide a package of diabetes supplies so their dolls could have diabetes like many of her owners. A nice touch. So successful, it’s now on back order until May 13, 2016, according to their website–good for them. The consumer reviews are sterling on their web page. Great that a major company is now doing what www.pumpwearinc.com (this link takes you directly to the toys page) has been doing for years, and they even have them for stuffed animals. Julie (a d Mom and co-founder of the company) donates proceeds to diabetes research. (Fair disclosure, they donate to the DRI, and I’m an employee at the DRIF as most of you know). All-in-all very good stuff out there.
Recently a ‘publication’ wrote about American Girl and their entry into the diabetes ‘toys’ market, and that reporter could not have gotten the story any more wrong if they tried. I’m not going to share the link because it’s so bad; I have to believe that the focus was just to get people to read it. I reached out to them for a comment but heard nothing back.
I have stated this before; I have learned that yelling and screaming about such things does little and only perpetuates what they want: attention. I have yelled and screamed about issues in the past, like, really made a big stink. But to what end? Nothing changed. Now if you want to rally against this story, feel free. And I mean that sincerely, far be it to tell anyone not to do as their heart leads them. Don’t get me wrong, I was truly pissed when I read the story, but then I thought, “This is just a trap. They do not deserve it, and they are not worth it.”
I think the real story here is what a great thing it is that American Girl is doing, and what PumpWear is doing (and I am sure others are doing it as well). It’s not about some dim light bulb story on what some reporter decided was a ‘good angle.’ The story is so out there, as I stated, and so preposterous that I question the reason except to gain readership.
Honestly, they aren’t worth the energy. Ignore it and it will go away. If you want to use some energy, hang some posters around town about the warning signs of diabetes. That just might save a life. How do your REALLY want to spend your energy?
I am a DiabetesDad.
