The diabetes community has something in common besides malfunctioning pancreases*: our giving nature.

*I prefer pancrei, but Webster’s would probably laugh at the petition.

We do it all year round and in many ways: Spare A Rose, Save A Child; JDRF and ADA Walks, volunteering time and talent to projects like Nightscout (CGM in The Cloud) and Tidepool, sharing knowledge and much needed support through non-profits like Diabetes Hands Foundation and diaTribe (who is celebrating their First Anniversary as a non-profit!) and much more.

So, it seems strange to ask you to donate today, because you already do so much to help others in our community, but here I go, hat in hand (but a lovely chapeau it is, bedecked in feathers and a wide brim)…

Whether it is a few minutes or a few dollars, please consider helping these worthy causes today:

It costs you nothing, but the addition of your voice is priceless.

We have two days left to tell the FDA that patients should be involved in every discussion, at every level, when it comes to the devices we use to keep us healthy and safe. Go here, read the easy steps, and add your comments to the FDA docket. (It closes December 4th, so giddy up, cowboy.)

I’m truthfully astonished to see how far the diabetes community has come in the last year, rallying to ensure the FDA understands how important our opinions matter. They’ve been stellar at recognizing and working with us, but there are no resting on laurels, because while we know it and some forward-thinking individuals know it, not everyone does. Until there’s a cure, all we have is our voice. Give it today.

You’re Going To Shop, So Might As Well Give At The Same Time

Full disclosure: When I’m not being a rabble rouser or loving on my family, I’m the founder of The Diabetes Collective, Inc., which is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, created to fund programs like The Diabetes UnConference. There are so many wonderful non-profits out there that focus on living well with diabetes, so why create one more? Because there wasn’t a program designed to bring all adults with diabetes together to share their thoughts and get support in a safe environment. In order to make that happen (and some other things that will be coming after the first Diabetes UnConference is in the bag), The Diabetes Collective, Inc. was founded.

Amazon has a program called AmazonSmile and you can select The Diabetes Collective as your charitable organization.

“The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges. From time to time, we may offer special, limited time promotions that increase the donation amount on one or more products or services or provide for additional donations to charitable organizations.”

There is NO additional cost to you. The prices on Amazon are the same as if you are shopping without the AmazonSmile selection.

Please consider helping this way by choosing The Diabetes Collective, Inc. as your non-profit organization and help support the scholarships we provide to bring people with diabetes together to have the discussions they can’t have with their doctors or family.

If You Got a Penny or Two to Share…

You can donate directly to The Diabetes Collective, Inc. by clicking on the button below or on this link.  It will take you directly to a secure PayPal checkout.

This is a tax-deductible donation so you’ll get a tax receipt from The Diabetes Collective, Inc. for 2014. Any amount will help.

But I also want to direct you to another amazing opportunity that is near and dear to my heart: The Bionic Pancreas.

You can donate (and it’s tax -deductible) here:

There you have it. Three ways to give: no money, giving through shopping, and giving through tax donation. Do one, two, or all three.

Wait. Stop. There’s one more way to give.

You can share this post with your friends. Your family. Strangers on the street. Tell them about how important a role diabetes plays in your life (even though you don’t want it to…) and how they can help you and millions of other people. (And if you don’t follow this blog on Twitter or Facebook, please do! I’m funny on all sorts of social media avenues!)

So, give. Whether it’s your time, your shopping acumen, or with a financial gift. I adore you for even allowing me to put it out there.

Give what you can.

Do what you can.

And we are grateful.