JDRF Government Relations meets the DOC

This is a quick post and I am actually trying to do it from my iPhone whilst typing with my thumbs. I’m running on a lot less sleep than normal but I did find Diet Coke in the basement cafeteria of Longworth Building as I wait for a meeting with MO Representative Cleaver. It’s a good thing spelling is opshunal and that my thumbs are somewhat opposable

I think overall this has been a really great experience and I have several topics rolling around the empty portions of my brain (of which there are also several) that will appear over the next week or so.

I want to thank the DOC for their support and keeping up with the twitter feed. I was also amazed, and a little humbled, to see several outstanding blog posts over the last couple of days from friends that were not here but based on the tweets coming out of the event on the #JDRFGovDay twitter tag. I’m not sure I have ever heard of that type of an occurrence before, let alone been a part of one.

I would also be remiss not to thank the JDRF, especially Mike and Hassan, as well as all the advocates and other staffers for making us feel welcome.

Meeting Kerri, Kelly K, Mike H, Allison, Chris, Dayle, Hallie, the Pumping Princess and Meriam for the first time and catching up with Cherise, Scott J, Kim, and Kelly R has been totally awesome.  Honestly, I met and spoke with so many great people, it was amazing

I was part of a DOC presentation with Allison, Kelly R and Mike that seemed to go pretty well. The audience was open to what we were saying and asked some very intelligent questions. Thanks to all of you as well!

We had a chance to meet with Jeffery Brewer, JDRF President, on Monday morning. I like the man. I believe that the envisioned expanded mission of the JDRF has an incredible opportunity to change so many lives for the better.

When asked about the problems that some adult T1s experience with various local chapters, his response was short and sweet. “That’s going to change”. No excuses, no being “unaware” of the problems. In those four words he acknowledged us, our needs, and most importantly; took personal ownership of the issue.

I really believe this will happen, but we all have to realize that it is going to take some time. They understand that they need to deliver on this; but the reality of it is that there is a lot of cultural “inertia” to overcome and that is going to take time, patience and effort from us as well as the JDRF to succeed

That’s enough for now; my opposable thumbs don’t feel quite as opposable as they did when I started this..

** Disclaimer:  The JDRF covered my travel, hotel and meal expenses for this trip to Washington, DC.  They did not ask me to blog or not to blog about my experiences and these were my own thoughts and opinions **

© 2011 Scott Strange, Strangely Diabetic and http://StrangelyDiabetic.com