Government Day is a great event, focused on advocating to our elected officials in their offices on Capitol Hill. We educate them about diabetes and the need for continued government funding. We educate them on issues they will be voting on, explaining why these issues are so important to people with diabetes. It is a great event and I’ve felt extremely lucky to be involved with it for several years.
The Diabetes UnConference is also a great event. It is a peer to peer conference where the attendees set the agenda. More importantly, the attendees are the experts. We learn from each other. We share openly and honestly with others who are going through many of the same things we are.
So, as you probably already know, I ended up picking the UnConference. Both events were important and both were places where I felt I could make a difference. But in the end, I thought about the huge backing and large reach that JDRF has. I knew there were others who could attend Government Day in my slot. They would do a great job getting our message across. And they deserved their chance to attend.
On the other hand, my perspectives and experiences are my own. I am the only one who can share them at the UnConference. And if doing so helped just one person feel understood and less alone, then being there was necessary. And so, I chose UnConference, and never regretted the decision for a minute.
This year I will be returning to the Diabetes UnConference as a facilitator. I’m nervous, of course, but I’m so excited for the chance to hopefully help even more. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help make the conference the best it can be for everyone attending.
Time is running out for you to choose UnConference. The deadline to register is Tuesday, January 24th. The deadline to book your hotel room at the special conference rate is just a week away on Tuesday, January 10th!! So now is the perfect time to choose UnConference. I'm sure you will find it the right choice.
Karen, you will be a great facilitator. I am sorry I will miss it.
ReplyDeleteI heart this so much, can't wait to see you again SOON!! :-)
ReplyDeleteKaren-I look forward to being facilitated by you:-)
ReplyDeleteI think you'll be GREAT. Don't sweat it. I so wish I were going - even as a non-T1D interloper. You all help me be a better caretaker to my TEENAGER. :)
ReplyDeleteYou made a difference in my experience as a newbie to the Unconference, in a total positive way & so did Pete!!!! I'm so glad ur going to be a facilitator. U'll be AWESOME!!!! And, I'm still jealous you got to meet Clinton Kelly!!! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI wish we had more stuff like this in Australia. SO much more community feels for diabetes in other parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to rock facilitating.