Champions

Do you have an interesting idea that will grab public and media
attention? Do you want to change the way that people think about
diabetes? Are you lobbying the government to improve
diabetes care and prevention? Are you helping to implement change that
will improve care for people with and at risk of diabetes?

Become a World Diabetes Day USA champion!

2009 World Diabetes Day USA Champions (in alphabetical order)

• Amy Tenderich is a journalist / patient blogger who started DiabetesMine.com after her diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes in 2003. Her site has become a popular online destination for people with diabetes. In 2007, she co-authored a patient guidebook called Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes. Follow Amy on Twitter: @DiabetesMine.
• Andrea Bradley has had type 1 diabetes since 1996. After seeing two family members pass away from complications of diabetes, spotting the warning signs of diabetes in her family she decided to create the diabetes awareness ribbon campaign. She also blogs at Sticky Sweet Diabetics Blog. Follow Andrea on Twitter: @stickysweetmom.
  
• Crystal (a.k.a. CALpumper) - Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on 05/15/85, age 6. Multiple Daily Injections for 20 years. Pumping for over 4 years. Started blogging and advocating through humor, probably some sarcasm but definitely honesty, about my life at age 29. Been living without health insurance for over 2 years. "The constant in Diabetes is change." Follow Crystal on Twitter: @CALpumper.
  
• Desert Dingo Racing - Desert Dingo Racing is a team of high tech professionals based in Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley, California who are campaigning a Class 11 VW Beetle in desert racing. They have teamed with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in support of its campaign to raise awareness of diabetes issues worldwide.Follow Desert Dingo Raising on Twitter: @DesertDingo.
  
• Diabetes Daily - Diabetes Daily is a friendly support network with 15,000 members. It features active forums, live chats, original recipes, and breaking news. Members can use Diabetes Daily tools to import blood sugars directly from their meter, analyze the data and
  share the results. Follow DiabetesDaily on Twitter: @DiabetesDaily.
  
• George Simmons describes himself as "a husband, father, writer, musician, type 1 and Ninjabetic." He blogs at The B.A.D. Blog (The Born Again Diabetic Blog). Follow George on Twitter: @ninjabetic.
• Gina Capone is a patient blogger, diabetes advocate and graphic designer, living with type 1 diabetes since November 2000. She co-founded Diabetes Talkfest and The Diabetes Resource and is the community manager for JDRF's type 1 social network Juvenation.org. She also started the CGM Anti-denial  online campaign to help people with diabetes get covered for continuous glucose monitors. Follow Gina on Twitter: @ginacaps.
  
• iPump.org - iPump.org is a 501(c)(3) public charity with the mission to save the lives of people with diabetes until there is a cure. They are the only nonprofit in the U.S. that takes donated pumps, has them recertified by the manufacturer and redistributes them free to diabetics in need. Follow iPump on Twitter: @iPumpCharity.
  
• Kelly Kunik has had type 1 diabetes since age 8. She blogs at Diabetesaliciousness. She is a Diabetes Advocate, Consultant, Motivational Speaker, and self-professed cupcake lover. In her immediate family of 8, 4 were diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Her sister Debbie died from diabetic complications in 1991 at the age of 33. Follow Kelly on Twitter: @diabetesalic.
• Kelly Rawlings is the Editor of Diabetic Living magazine. She has had type 1 diabetes since 1973. Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KellyRawlings.
  
• MyDiabetesCentral.com is a comprehensive resource serving both the Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes communities. It is a part of HealthCentral. Ginger Vieira and Ann Bartlett both write for MyDiabetesCentral.com. Ginger has had Type 1 diabetes for 10 years. She is a personal trainer, yoga instructor and powerlifter. Ann also has type 1 diabetes. She is a Wellness Center Owner. Follow Ginger and Ann on Twitter: @GingerVieira, @AnnBartlett.
  
• Riva Greenberg - Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1972, Riva is a former communications professional turned diabetes advocate and published diabetes author. She travels across the country educating and inspiring others to take care of their diabetes. She blogs at the Diabetes Stories web site. Follow Riva on Twitter: @DiabetesMyths.
  
• Scott K. Johnson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April of 1980.  He writes about both his failures and successes at Diabetes Daily and dLife.  Scott is an active member of the diabetes online community, and credits them with helping him keep his sanity.  Scott recognizes the incredible mental struggle of living with diabetes, and works to increase awareness and help others who are struggling. Follow Scott on Twitter: @scottkjohnson.
  
• Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, is an exercise physiologist and professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University and adjunct professor of internal medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. A respected researcher and lecturer, she has authored more than 150 research and educational articles on exercise, diabetes and health, as well as numerous diabetes books.
  
• TCOYD - Guided by the belief that every person with diabetes has the right to live a healthy, happy, and productive life, TCOYD (Taking Control of Your Diabetes?) educates and motivates people with diabetes to take a more active role in their condition and provides innovative and integrative continuing diabetes education to medical professionals caring for people with diabetes. Follow TCOYD on Twitter: @TCOYD.
  
• Travis Grubbs, a professional home inspector and a city Building and Zoning Inspector, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in May of 2006. Travis shares his thoughts and experiences in dLife his column, Turn the Page, as a middle-aged male that had to change his life in order to address his diabetes.
• TuDiabetes.org - TuDiabetes is a social network for people touched by diabetes with more than 11,000 members. It is run by the Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on connecting people touched by diabetes and raising diabetes awareness. Follow TuDiabetes on Twitter: @tudiabetes. Follow DHF on Twitter: @diabeteshf.