For the past three years I've been creating a platform for ‘Living Well with Diabetes.’ But this is no longer where my energy is nor what I believe. I believe we can 'Thrive with Diabetes' and that this is a more worthy goal. My research with behavioral scientists, data gathering, "stories" collection and my own personal experience have changed my mind in this direction and emboldened my view. 'Thriving with Diabetes' is about being focused on creating your best life, not despite having diabetes, but because of having diabetes. It requires a thorough understanding of one's own medical management, a high level of emotional resiliency, seeing the worth in maintaining good management and leveraging diabetes as a catalyst to create greater quality of life.
My new book guides and coaches readers to that place where you are 'thriving with diabetes.'
The ABCs mobilizes reader's own positive emotions to motivate more positive management behaviors. While patients need to be aware of the consequences of poor management, we must not focus our energy or attention here, as in fearing complications or feeling guilty about poor management. This focus will not promote improvement actions over the long haul as improvement is not sustainable when you're focused on what you don't want. Yet you may notice in popular literature only negative emotions are associated with diabetes like anger, depression, fear, guilt and shame, and then coping strategies are offered. The power of positive emotions go untapped. That is why The ABCs is an entirely innovative approach to better management and supported by the Behavioral Diabetes Institute in San Diego. The ABCs provides wellness principles, emotional nurturing and practical "how to's" and coaches you to "rev up" your joy, courage, confidence, gratitude and pride, nourish your soul and call upon your own personal cheerleading squad anytime you need to combat the tough days.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The ABCs this year are being donated to Diabetes Research Institute, a premier Institute leading the way seeking a cure for diabetes.
Currently, I'm developing a white paper about the principles loosely discussed above that underlie The ABCs book. In short they are: 1) the power of using positive emotions to mobilize and sustain positive actions 2) focusing on what you want in your life (a vision of your best life) not what you don't want (complications) 3) the understanding that wishing you never got diabetes and finding something positive in it are not mutually exclusive.
I am also continuing work I began two years ago interviewing people with diabetes and loved ones to capture their unique, intimate story of what it’s like to live with diabetes. I have already interviewed more than 110 people. From this work two models are emerging to help support patients with their management. One model helps patients reflect on, and pinpoint, where they are currently in their diabetes management from poor to excellent on both the medical and emotional spectrum. The second model helps people move toward improvement in both the medical and emotional fields. More information will come about both these models as I continue to develop and test them.
In support of my research and passion, in 2006 I became a certified A1c Champion and present educational, motivational diabetes programs, sponsored by a grant from Sanofi-Aventis, across the country. I am also part of the Divabetics team and participate in a mentoring program with Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. All help inform my research.
In years past I have directed the Juvenile Diabetes Research Founation's 'Walk to Cure Diabetes' marketing materials and walked miles and miles myself raising thousands of dollars over the years. For the past several years I have served on the editorial committee of the JDRF in New York City and the Advisory Board of Methodist Hospital’s Diabetes Education and Research Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.