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Dear Brandy,
Whew! The 2011 Weekend for Women Conference in Raleigh is now over. Like the day after my wedding....I am both sad and happy. Sad because all of my Sisters have now gone back to their respective cities and I don't have them right beside me to share laughs and funny stories any more. Happy because it feels good to have accomplished the goal and take a break from conference planning. Although.... in reality, I didn't get much of a break because registration for the Conference in San Diego opened on Monday, May 2nd!
The Conference always serves as a great reminder to me of why I started this organization to begin with. Women with diabetes are so appreciative of the opportunity to get to know other women with diabetes, to see "Sisters" who are doing spectacular things, to talk about issues/topics that aren't often discussed, and to take advantage of every opportunity to advocate for women with diabetes. The group this year was especially fun, enthusiastic, and opinionated! I am always amazed and humbled by the number of women who come up to share their sincere appreciation for the conference/organization as well as to tell me that they love the mission of DiabetesSisters and they want to get more involved. Again, that takes me to another reason I started this organization---- I know that WOMEN WITH DIABETES ARE PASSIONATE AND POWERFUL, BUT I WANT THE REST OF THE WORLD TO KNOW THIS AS WELL!
In Sisterhood,
Brandy Barnes
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Sister Spotlight - Melissa Partridge
Hello, I'm Melissa Partridge. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 23 years ago just before starting Kindergarten. Growing up as a diabetic didn't mean much to me. Somebody had green eyes, someone had freckles, I had diabetes. It just was the way it was, no big deal. Of course there were times when diabetes would cause a speed bump in life; like when I walked into the rose bushes after soccer practice, or when I had a low blood sugar during junior prom. But these things didn't bother me. It was just life and I handled it with positivity.
I can remember being sixteen years old when I first learned that I was eligible for the insulin pump. I was so excited to have the freedom that a pump would allow a teenager, however I was also a little nervous. I didn't like bringing attention to myself or my disease and having this large medical device strapped to me would certainly bring attention. However that same year as I sat with my girlfriends watching Nicole Johnson be crowned Miss America I knew that if Miss America can wear a pump, then so could I.And so my life with my external pancreas began.
After graduating high school I attended college where I met my husband and we started our family.We have four children ages 6, 4, 2 and 1.They are my world. It was a few months ago when I was watching them and wondering what life would be like as they grew.Would I be able to be there for them?Would I be able to run around with them, see them go to prom, their weddings, my grandchildren? I began thinking how I could possibly be halfway though my life and my youngest were still in diapers.(I know, I worry too much). So I began searching the internet for women with diabetes who have success stories of living a long and healthy life. I found a few stories of men with advanced duration diabetes, but I really wanted to find a woman.A mother.Someone who experienced PMS and morning sickness and menopause. After a few weeks of searching and some prayers I found a link to Diabetes Sisters. This is exactly was I was praying for.
I joined the sisterhood and just returned from my first Weekend for Woman Conference in Raleigh, NC. I had such a blast! It was so motivating to see so many women with diabetes. Some just having received the diagnoses and others having it for 57 years.It was great to hear stories of trials and triumph, challenges and courage, fear and hope.I came back from the conference with more knowledge and therefore more power.With the knowledge that I have, I feel more confident in my future as a woman, a wife, a mother and a diabetic. I am grateful for Diabetes Sisters and the hope and support it has given to me.
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DiabetesSisters News Briefs
NEWSWORTHY:
- Allison Blass of DiabetesMine attended DiabetesSisters' recent Weekend for Women Conference in Raleigh, NC on April 29-May 1. If you've ever wondered what the conference is like or what it is all about, watch this video for an overview of the 2011 Conference in Raleigh:
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| 2011 Weekend for Women Conference |
- Founder, Brandy Barnes, represented DiabetesSisters at the 2011 Annual PhRMA Conference in Jersey City, NJ. At the conference, she met with many potential DiabetesSisters funders and supporters and she also heard about the current state of healthcare from many inspirational speakers, including Former President Bill Clinton and New Jersey Governor Christopher Christie. She will also be representing DiabetesSisters in June at the Roche Social Media Summit and the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions. Message her @diabetessisters or email her to meet up/hang out.
ADVOCACY/CAMPAIGNS:
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TEAM DIABETESSISTERS at the First Annual orange:will Awareness Walk
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- The FIRST ANNUAL orange:will Awareness Walk took place on Sunday, May 1 at 8am in downtown Raleigh, NC. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker joined the walk and offered a proclamation: May 1, 2011 is ORANGE WILL EMPOWER WOMEN WITH DIABETES DAY in the city of Raleigh and urged citizens to wear orange to show their support of women and the fight against diabetes.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
- SAN DIEGO, CA-DiabetesSisters is partne
 ring with Behavioral Diabetes Institute in San Diego, CA to bring theWeekend for Women Conference Series to the West Coast in 2011. The second Weekend for Women Conference will be held inSan Diego, CA October 7-9, 2011. Click here to register for the San Diego Conference. A limited number of scholarship applications will be available on the website on Monday, May 9, 2011 after 8am and scholarship recipients will be notified on/around June 6th..
- RALEIGH, NC- Mark your calendars for the 2011 Weekend for Women Conference in Raleigh, NC on May 19-20. We are considering offering a small event for the spouses of DiabetesSisters. If this is of interest to you, please send an email to info@diabetessisters.org. The number of responses we receive will help us in determining whether or not to offer this option.
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Volunteer of the Month:
Lyndsay Riffe, RD, LDN, CDE
DiabetesSisters extends a sincere Thank You to
Lyndsay Riffe
Lyndsay has been committed to supporting DiabetesSisters members by serving as a nutrition expert since October 2008. At that time, she began contributing to DiabetesSisters' NutritionTiip of the Month which offers beneficial health and nutrition information to woman with diabetes. Lyndsay is a registered dietitian, licensed dietitian/nutritionist, certified diabetes educator, and has been living well with type 1 diabetes since 1985. To thank Lyndsay for her hard work, she will receive a Target gift card.
DiabetesSisters appreciates Lyndsay and each member of our volunteer team for their dedication to the organization. Your contribution is appreciated!
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS:
 
  
 
  
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IN THE FUTURE:
**Check back for upcoming articles focused on theEmotional Impact
of Diabetes
written by members of our highly regarded professional diabetes education team
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REGISTER FOR AN UPCOMING EVENT:
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| DiabetesSisters' PODS Meetup Charlotte NC |
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DiabetesSisters' PODS Meetup Raleigh NC
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STAY IN TOUCH
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An Opportunity ToGive Back:
DiabetesSisters is in need of volunteers in the following areas:
If you can donate your time/expertise and want to be part of a phenomenal group of women, please contact us.
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