Just Got Off The Phone With The Director of Customer Care for Reader's Digest

OK, first and foremost: BIG THANKS go out to Kim Vlasnik from Texting my Pancreas, (who not only informed us all about the publication, but also wrote a kick ass blog post in the form of a letter to RD all about it!

All of you (all of us?) are very much aware that Reader's Digest is putting out a special Diabetes Magazine called, "Reversing Diabetes - Your Total Guide To Blood Sugar Control" debauchery that will hit the stands in May.

Kim tweeted the info last night and started the Reader Digest storm a brewing! SHE ROCKS!

Others followed her lead, and yes, THEY ALSO ROCK.

As for me, I spent all morning unpacking, working on my Medtronic Diabetes Advocate Forum Post for tomorrow and Googling Reader's Digest Contact info - And I am the Queen of GOOGLE.

I spent even more time calling a series of different numbers for people who may or may not call me back, including; the Reader's Digest main number, where I got a live switchboard operator who gave me the number for their Editorial Desk that went right to voicemail: 914-244-5815.

And RDs Corporate Communications office, (212-850-5600) where I was able to leave both Evan Goetz & Rachel Rosenblatt voice mails - and as I went to press, they have not called me back .

I also called Mary Berner's office (Publisher of RD) & had a very nice and detailed conversation with her Secretary, who forwarded my information to the Customer Satisfaction office.

About 15 minutes ago, Brenda Wendt, Director of Customer Care called me back and listened as I aired my complaints and concerns. It went something like this.

Me: Hi Brenda, thanks for calling me back - And then I explained who I was, but I won't do that here.

Are you aware the RD is publishing a magazine called: "Reversing Diabetes - Your Total Guide To Blood Sugar Control." Brenda, do you what's wrong with that title? And between you and me, I think she had a good idea of what was wrong!

Diabetes, regardless of they type, can't be reversed. If that were the case, Reader's Digest would win the Noble Prize for Medicine.

If it were that easy, type 1's, type 1.5, and type 2's would all be doing it!

I've had type 1 diabetes for 33 years, and it's not going anywhere, no matter how "controlled" my blood sugars are!

Brenda, that sort of thinking makes the public not only blame people with diabetes for their disease, it also seriously damages our funding efforts for research & a cure. 150 people whose families are affected with type 1 diabetes just stormed Capital Hill 3 weeks ago asking our governments officials to continue funding money for Diabetes research, and that headline could do SERIOUS DAMAGE to not only our research funding, but our health in general.

Are you aware that Arizona officials are considering making all members of their states Medicaid with diabetes pay a fee, because they consider diabetes to be a healthy lifestyle choice?

For the record, she was not.

Places like the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation rely 100% on donated funds to research for the diabetes cure. How will that headline affect them?

JDRF has thousands of fundraising Balls every year; do you think people will buy tickets if they think that diabetes is all about being lazy???

Finally, there are desperate and scared people who are being diagnosed (or their loved ones are) with type 1, type 1.5, and type 2 diabetes every single day. Some will try anything for a cure. That title, not to mention that school of thought is deadly!!

As far as being type 2, it's considered more genetic of all the various types of diabetes and I know many type 2s who are not over weight.

Look, I don't care if you're a type 2 and loose 100 pounds or 10 lbs, your always going to be a person with diabetes, regardless of weather or not you cut back on your meds.

The minute people think they've found the golden diabetes egg and stop worrying about their heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and diabetes mindset, is the minute the damage is done!

Then I went on to mention that a storm was (is) brewing on line - That since last night, a boatload of blog posts, tweets, facebook, etc. are all over the internez regarding this subject. And that people who live or whose loved ones live with diabetes are VERY protective of their community- and we make lots of noise, both on-line and off. And then I think I said, ”It’s probably on tumblr by now."

Then I breathed.

And to Brenda's credit, she listened and she took lots of notes. Brenda was very nice, there wasn't an ounce of condescending tone in her voice and I was impressed at her listening & empathy skills.

And even thought Brenda said that she wasn't involved with Editorial in anyway, shape or form, she promised to pass along our concerns to the Editorial and Corporate Communications staff.

And I believe she will.

But will the folks from Reader's Digest Editorial & Corporate Communication reach out & make things right?

I don't know if they will, but I do know that they should.

Readers Digest contacted me re: the above post on April 8th. I'll let you make up your own mind re: their response: http://diabetesaliciousness.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-readers-digest-i-talked-very-briefly.html