An Open Letter To Oprah & Dr Oz - Please Get Your Show About Diabetes RIGHT

Dear Oprah and Dr Oz:

Rumor has it that on Thursday February 4^th, you’re doing a show titled "America’s Silent Killer," and it’s completely dedicated to Diabetes.

And as a person with Type 1 Diabetes for over 30 years; a diabetes blogger and Diabetes Advocate, who comes from a family with a long history of Type 1 Diabetes, I appreciate that fact.

I"M REALLY HOPING YOU’LL GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT,

AND YOUR SHOW WILL REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE WITH DIABETES.

If you and Dr. Oz want to save lives and educate the public, differentiate between Type 1 –which is an autoimmune disease. And Type 2- a metabolic disease, and give equal time to both.

I’m hoping that you and Dr. Oz will go so far as to have an Endocrinologist on to discuss Diabetes in all it’s many shapes and forms.

I’m hoping that you’ll explain to the American public that both Type 1 and Type 2 are reaching epidemic proportions.

I'm hoping that Types 1.5 and gestational diabetes will be discussed as well.

I’m hoping that you tell the American public the realities of diabetes, instead of perpetuating the diabetes myths and stereotypes.

I’m praying that you will tell the American people that as type 1’s, no matter how much we exercise and eat healthy, we will always have to take insulin- no matter what!

As a person with Type 1 Diabetes, I could run a marathon daily, and I'd still have to take insulin every single day - because my life depends on insulin to survive and exist.

WHY? because PWDS (people with diabetes) bodies don’t make insulin due to that the area of our body that actually produced insulin (The Islets of Langerhans) was attacked and destroyed by our very own cells.

As a person with type 1, I have to tell you I’ve felt like type 1 is the Jan Brady of the diabetes family. The media always seems to talk about the more popular type 2 (Actually wrote a post re: titled, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!) and those of us with Type 1 continually have to explain the differences, because the media never does.

Newscasters never seem to get the diabetes facts straight.

I’m not sure if it's shoddy research, time constraints, reporters not actually being aware of the different types of diabetes. Maybe they just don’t care about type 1 diabetics because they receive more advertising dollars from products/drugs geared towards type 2’s.

I think it’s most likely a combination. Whatever the reason(s), this needs to change!

Lives depend on people knowing ALL the diabetes facts/types!

I’m hoping that the Oprah Show Producers have done their research and hit the diabetes nail on the head so to speak.

I'm hoping....

Don’t disappoint your viewers with Type 1 Diabetes – Represent all people with Diabetes – not just one particular facet of the diabetes population!

Yours for a cure!

Kelly Kunik

Type 1 PWD