Crystal and Bret and Diabetes Awareness and Advocacy

I don’t really watch Celebrity Apprentice. I’ve heard good things about it but the concept is just not my cup of tea. Even hearing that fellow type 1 diabetic Bret Michaels of Poison was raising money for the American Diabetes Association didn’t make me want to watch, especially since I was never particularly fond of Poison and I was absolutely appalled by Rock of Love, but I did enjoy following his run on Twitter, especially since in the process he raised about 390,000 dollars for ADA. When I heard he won and raised tons of money for ADA, I was excited and happy that a popular TV show was raising awareness of diabetes and the need to find a cure.

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And then I started reading more about Crystal Bowersox and what she wants to do after Idol, including Amy of Diabetes Mine’s post here and the super awesome interview she did with USA Today HERE. Crystal’s ideas include starting a foundation to help people with diabetes who need insulin and supplies NOW. Here is her quote from the USA Today interview:

“I need lots of money to give to charities and to start my foundation for juvenile diabetes. It’s not for research. It’s for taking care of issues now. … My goal is to set up something where there can be screening clinics where once you have the diagnosis, they can treat the problem and pharmaceutical companies can donate medicine and supplies. That’s my goal … People should never go without insulin. In my life at points, I’ve begged for insulin outside of pharmacies and no one should ever have to do that.”

I think this about sums it up: WOW. I personally am getting rather sick of American Idol. I feel like the show is losing steam and was really not planning on watching this season, but when I heard that Crystal was a TuDiabetes member (TuDiabetes is an awesome social networking site for people “touched by diabetes”, if you haven’t checked it out I encourage you to do so!) I at least wanted to check her out and see if she could actually sing – and guess what- she can – and well. Check it out.

I mean, AWESOME, right? But it’s not just her singing that is the reason I’m still dialing and voting for her as I type these words (lines are open until midnight central time).  It’s her drive to help people with diabetes in dire need RIGHT NOW. She has a beautiful, giving heart and she is doing this for something outside herself, not to mention raising awareness for diabetes in the process. And that’s pretty AWESOME.

These individuals are motivating me to do bigger things with my life. I’ll have more info on this later this week, but I am totally stoked, and I hope you will be too.