Diabetes Message In A Bottle

As most likely know by now, World Diabetes Day is Nov. 14. This one day comes in what's known as Diabetes Awareness Month, at least here in America.

Many activities are being planned nationally and worldwide, and it seems new ideas keep materializing from within the D-Community. Cherise has thought of Blue Fridays for the month of November. For WDD, monuments are being lit up in blue. People With Diabetes are encouraged to participate in what's called the Big Blue Test. The JDRF has created Type 1 Talk with events popping up throughout the U.S. And others such as Mike Durbin at MyDiabeticHeart has asked those of us in the DOC to "Go Blue" in recognition of the month (something I've already done, as you can see from the blog blueness bordering this post!)

Not to mention other items on tap, like some exciting things from the Diabetes Hands Foundation and Diabetes Research Institute. Some of us are even trying to pursuade Google to create a doodle for WDD, though that's a continuing push from past years and doesn't appear that it'll happen - for now.

But, there's more. On the Children With Diabetes forums (where I find myself lurking often and engaging with those magnificant pancreas-mimicking parents), another idea has formulated. This one by the mom of a 6-year old boy diagnosed in 2006.

Her thought: Diabetes Message In a Bottle.

The idea centers on that classic concept of putting a note, handwritten or otherwise, into a bottle and setting it loose on the waters for someone to find on the other side many miles away. That's a concept that's been around for ages. Originally, this WDD idea was exactly in line with any other message in a bottle that might be put into a body of water and cast off into the unknown. But some concerns came about local laws and littering, and how this might not be allowed. Despite how common this activity may be in school classrooms and elsewhere, the environmental impact is an important one to keep in mind. So, the idea evolved into an out-of-water activity to avoid those potentially-illegal nuances.

Now, it's more crafty. Participants can make big cut-outs of blue paper/cardboard/whatever material in the shape of a bottle and write their own D-message on it (ex: Type 1 Diabetes - Keep the Hope for a Cure Alive) and hang them on windows that day. Pictures can be taken and posted online, or emailed around to help spread the word in the "virtual online sea." No littering that way. For those who are even more craftsy, one might try creating a candle-holder out of safe materials in the same bottle shape and have a message written on that - lighting it up on Nov. 14. Or even aquarium owners could use an actual mini blue bottle and do a fun message inside.

All fun versions of the same basic concept, to an extent.

Personally, I like the original idea myself. That to me helps spread the word in that traditional Message In a Bottle sense and advocate for a great D-Awareness. But the crafty versions with online connectivity aren't bad, either.

I'm excited to participate and help spread the word about this idea. A Facebook group called Making Waves is online for people to join. In a sense, this is a great D-Art project that can not only be therapeutic but also an educational advocacy tool to help teach others about diabetes. This is one of so many different activities and events going on that day and in November, but it's an interesting and creative concept that should be a lot of fun for the families and everyone else who might want to take part.

If you're interested, please take a look at that Making Waves page and let it be known that you're planning to participate! We can make waves on WDD, this way and in many others!