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Diabetes medals

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Redkite

Redkite

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Can anyone tell me please what words are engraved on the medals given to people who have lived with type 1 diabetes for 50 years?
 
Why not ask Diabetes UK ? They are responsible for awarding the Nabarro medals !
 
I just checked, being totally unaware that such 'medals' were available, one for 50 years and one for 70 years!

I can't for the life of me think why any sane diabetic, living as we do with ups and downs, hypo's and hyper's, good days and bad days, would want such a trifle. (Perhaps 'trifle' was the wrong analogy - but you get my meaning). The vast majority of us I am sure just want to be treated as normal people with a bit of a debilitating condition which we hope that we can mostly control and that others will take into consideration and in unfortunate circumstances we hope that they will act, or re-act, accordingly. In my opinion we should not be 'awarded' a bit of metal in the form of a medal for living with something that we would all rather do without.

Maybe some people think that my view is wrong, it wouldn't be the first time, but I seriously believe that the way to be accepted is to carry on living our life, albeit with somewhat restricted rules and regulations, and not to be singled out and treated differently and rewarded because of a condition we have not brought upon ourselves.

I hope that there is not going to be any flak, just expressing my view and I am 100% behind what I have written, but am happy to listen to counter arguments.
 
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Michael12420 said:
I just checked, being totally unaware that such 'medals' were available, one for 50 years and one for 70 years!

I can't for the life of me think why any sane diabetic, living as we do with ups and downs, hypo's and hyper's, good days and bad days, would want such a trifle. (Perhaps 'trifle' was the wrong analogy - but you get my meaning). The vast majority of us I am sure just want to be treated as normal people with a bit of a debilitating condition which we hope that we can mostly control and that others will take into consideration and in unfortunate circumstances we hope that they will act, or re-act, accordingly. In my opinion we should not be 'awarded' a bit of metal in the form of a medal for living with something that we would all rather do without.

Maybe some people think that my view is wrong, it wouldn't be the first time, but I seriously believe that the way to be accepted is to carry on living our life, albeit with somewhat restricted rules and regulations, and not to be singled out and treated differently and rewarded because of a condition we have not brought upon ourselves.

I hope that there is not going to be any flak, just expressing my view and I am 100% behind what I have written, but am willing to listen to counter arguments.
Click to expand...

I was chuffed to bits to reach the 50 year milestone with no complications and even more surprised when a medal appeared in the post one day. My GP applied for it.
Only way to describe is shinny on one side and badly pressed/moulded on the other. Nothing to write home about.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
I was chuffed to bits to reach the 50 year milestone with no complications and even more surprised when a medal appeared in the post one day. My GP applied for it.
Only way to describe is shinny on one side and badly pressed/moulded on the other. Nothing to write home about.
Click to expand...

I know I am a nutter but I cant wait till next year for mine too Sue :D "You have to be mad to work here" comes to mind :D Or should we award ourselves a prize for 50yrs of Neeedles 😉
 
I hope that there is not going to be any flak, just expressing my view and I am 100% behind what I have written, but am happy to listen to counter arguments.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with you, but two points come to mind:

*If you're picking up a medal today, that means you were diagnosed in 1965. That was before testers. Before the DCCT guidelines. Before most insulins. That inherently means you'd be more likely to have complications because you'd have less control of your diabetes and less ways to know you had less control. So I would say if you're eligible for one of these awards, that's an achievement - whether or not you wanted it.

*More importantly...it means there's publicity - about people who've lived a LONG time with diabetes. Most of the general public are convinced diabetes means you MUST die young. Parents cry their eyes out convinced that their newly diagnosed kid isn't going to make it to their 50th birthday (and in more extreme cases don't seem to be hopeful of them hitting 20).

So in some ways, I don't really care whether or not someone with diabetes for a long time doesn't want an award - because it's not about them. It's about us. It's about the rest of us all fighting the same thing, who all could do with a bit of brightness and hope once in a while.

Someone might not want to be singled out. But every time someone like Sue gets recognised for the length of time they've had this and held it back....well, on the darker days, that hope is important. It's all too easy to throw in the towel and think 'What's the point? I'm going to die young anyway'. A reminder that we have many, many years to live for, and that we can have them if we want, is very, very helpful.
 
Well - exactly! Those of us who have had the ruddy thing over the decades - and we have had to live through MANY changes in regimes and 'just be expected to cope with it' - do feel it's nice to have a just a little pat on the back for all of it. Of course - when it was introduced, it WAS a huge achievement - there weren't many in the world who HAD survived that long - whether with or without complications, were there?

Cast you mind back to how you felt when some people didn't send you a card with your age on when you were little - only to be replicated to a lesser degree on your 21st !

It is, as Sue says - a Milestone - no two ways about it!

Another seven years ..........
 
DeusXM said:
But every time someone like Sue gets recognised for the length of time they've had this and held it back....well, on the darker days, that hope is important.
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Very well put.

I do understand your position Michael12420, and certainly part of me finds it odd that some people 'celebrate' their diaversary each year - not simething I've evern been drawn to doing. But I guess in doing so they are declaring I AM STILL NOT BEATEN.

Someone on Twitter borrows from Rocky Balboa to express something of the same mindset: It's not about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
 
We are just approaching the 3rd diaversary - only 47 more to go!

We don't celebrate it actually, I'm of the opinion that it seems like a bit of an odd thing to celebrate. But as it's a day I will never forget I can't help but remember it!

We have just commented that on one hand we can't believe it's been 3 years already, on the other hand it feels like forever and we can hardly remember not having to test and bolus at mealtimes!
 
Thanks Sue 🙂. And thanks everyone for your comments. Apparently at one time there was also a medal for reaching the 25 year mark, as this was less common at one time. I think it's great to hear of people who have lived insulin-dependent lives for 50+ years, very positive and uplifting!

We don't generally celebrate my son's "diaversary", but it's coming up to 10 years in a few weeks' time, and coincides with my Mum & Dad's golden wedding anniversary, so we are going to have an add-on party 🙂. When he was diagnosed he was in hospital for their ruby anniversary, so it feels like quite a milestone and worth celebrating. He won't be getting any medals though 😉
 
I posted a while a go that when I went to an appointment at the diabetes centre in hospital there were 3 people receiving their 70 year medals. The lead consultant and the local press were there and the consultant gave a short speech. I listened to the three chatting both before and after getting their medals and was so inspired to hear their stories. As Deus XM says, it is this kind of inspiration we all need sometimes. As a newly diagnosed person, I found it a huge comfort and inspirationthat these people were still healthy and living life to the full. They were a bit embarrassed, but understood the value in getting the message out there. To be honest, it brought a tear to my eye, but then I have always been a little soppy! 🙂
 
Redkite said:
Thanks Sue 🙂. And thanks everyone for your comments. Apparently at one time there was also a medal for reaching the 25 year mark, as this was less common at one time. I think it's great to hear of people who have lived insulin-dependent lives for 50+ years, very positive and uplifting!

We don't generally celebrate my son's "diaversary", but it's coming up to 10 years in a few weeks' time, and coincides with my Mum & Dad's golden wedding anniversary, so we are going to have an add-on party 🙂. When he was diagnosed he was in hospital for their ruby anniversary, so it feels like quite a milestone and worth celebrating. He won't be getting any medals though 😉
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Many congratulations to your Mum and Dad on their golden wedding anniversary.

There was also a 15 year medal at one point they stopped that first then the 25 year medal.
The reason being, it was costing the then British diabetic assoc to much money as everyone was living so much longer
So it wont be long before the 50 is scrapped as well :D
 
What's the betting they are stopped in early summer - probably 30th June - 2022?

LOL
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Many congratulations to your Mum and Dad on their golden wedding anniversary.

There was also a 15 year medal at one point they stopped that first then the 25 year medal.
The reason being, it was costing the then British diabetic assoc to much money as everyone was living so much longer
So it wont be long before the 50 is scrapped as well :D
Click to expand...

They better NOT ! I have got my 20yr plus award for volunteering for them :D
 
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