NEW Facebook Medalists Group!

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Lis Warren

Lis Warren

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I am REALLY disappointed that Diabetes UK has not yet featured or promoted the new Medalists Facebook group for those who have lived with diabetes for 50+ years.
It's now over a year since I first suggested the idea (took around 10+ months to set it up). Surely a post on this group, on the main Facebook group, some Tweets, a short news item in BALANCE or UPDATE to share it's existence with others should have been issued? I'd happily draft you a press notice, an article of other publicity material and I've been offering this since last January... There were 2 medalist pieces in Jan/Feb 2018 Balance to which another sentence about the group could easily have been added.
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Those of us who have had diabetes for decades lived most of those earlier years without others living with diabetes to chat to, we have much insight and experience to share and our combined efforts could be a real force for good, supporting and encouraging younger folk at the start of their lives with diabetes. PLEASE consider some promotion of the group so we Medalists can pool our expertise - and also have a place for sharing our stories with others who have been there. Being older and more experienced does not eliminate the desire or need for liaising with others in our position!
 
Hi Lis, I will see if they can be given a push! 🙂 We have a few 50-year medalists who are members here 🙂
 
Thanks - much appreciated - perhaps approach the press team? (though as I said, I've been asking for many months.....)
 
Lis Warren said:
Thanks - much appreciated - perhaps approach the press team? (though as I said, I've been asking for many months.....)
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They can be frustratingly slow to act at times :( I remember that this forum took 2 years to get off the ground originally, after a very great deal of persuasion. The forum wasn't even mentioned in Balance for many years after its introduction, despite me pushing for it - thankfully now they see it for the asset it is, and hopefully we can get more publicity for your group's rich experience and knowledge 🙂
 
Thanks for that info - clearly am not alone. Can't believe they've not promoted the Forum better in Balance, esp since that other .co.uk diabetes forum is so hugely successful (NB I really don't rate or like it myself, as there's very little moderation and lots of unreliable info is posted there!)
 
Hello Lis 🙂

Well done for posting about the group - lots of decades of experience!
 
Well done to all Alan Nabarro recipients.. Hope many of you get the H.G Wells medal.
Such an achievement should be celebrated more. This instills confidence in newbies That you can live a long life with Diabetes.
 
I would have thought that someone trying to promote a Facebook group would provide the link (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Diabetesukmedalists/members/), took me quite a while to find. It also says it is for people who have been living with diabetes or 50+ years, so that rules out a lot of people from joining and yet it purports to help people with their diabetes through the experience of others (I don't see how this works as people with 50yrs+ of diabetes surely do not need help from other diabetics). Is it just a social media for long term diabetics?
Also a lot of older people do not use Facebook, including quite a few here.
 
Very sorry you couldn't find it Vicsetter, and yes, it's is only for those with Diabetes UK medal, hence it's name! Having lived with T1D for over 52 yrs, I still learn new things every single day. There's new research, new technology, new insulins and drugs, new ways of managing things, new dietary advice, and MORE! As clinicians and researchers discover new things (research papers are published almost daily!), we all have to adjust and adapt out treatment and way of managing - that's why diabetes education should be given on an on-going basis at clinics (if we're not the sort able and willing to look stuff up online). We never, ever stop learning - and if we do, we could really miss out. And yes, I still want and need support from my peers at times. Clearly the page is not for those who don't like Facebook - people can start up their own local support group if there aren't any and they'd rather meet face to face. We have 5 medalists in my local Diabetes UK group, inc one with 70 yrs of diabetes, but none (bar me) uses social media and that's fine - each to his or her own!
 
Hi Lis,
I'm another one with 53 years under my belt 🙂 Nothing on earth would persuade me to join facebook (face ache) My views are shared with many 🙂 Perhaps you would be better off having a forum elsewhere.
 
Hi Sue, I’m hopeful that those getting medals from now on may want to join, AS Diabetes UK issues 700 each year, there will be lots who might join! The other Medalist Facebook Grp run by The Joslin Centre in Boston MA, has hundreds of people and is a great forum. But many members are based in the USA so there’s chat about a health system that’s not remotely like ours - so much about insurance companies who refuse to give folk the insulin they’re used to using for bizarre commercial reasons. We are SO lucky having a wonderful NHS.
 
Thanks Lis, its great to hear that you have taken your time to create a further support network for people living with diabetes. Our Volunteer team have been working with you to help set up the group for some months and are delighted that it is now up and running. Although some small promotion was done for the group before Christmas, we plan to increase promotion fully in the new year to help highlight this great support option to those in receipt of a medal. Thanks for all your dedication with this, please feel free to get in touch with your contacts in volunteer team for more details about the plans to promote the group in 2018.
 
Thanks Hannah - and sorry I’ve clearly missed what’s been posted. I’d be really grateful if you could list the pre Christmas publicity please, as I searched everywhere but found nothing.
 
No problem 🙂 - can you please contact your lead in the volunteer team who will be able to give you all the details. Thanks!

Best of luck with the group!
 
I met my contact at your Head Office today & all was discussed. Look forward to your Comms & social media Teams promoting the Medalist group ASAP!
 
Following more discussions with my contact in the volunteers team, I'm please dot say that it's now been agreed that Diabetes UK will Tweet, share on various media outlets and create a troy using one of the Medalists to promote the Facebook page. They've also agreed to amend the letters that of out to new Medalists with info about the group. Great news, thank you Diabetes UK. 🙂
 
I did see this mentioned on Twitter earlier in the week so headed over to have a look. Seems it is starting to get out there.
 
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