I am happy to share with you that I have been “awarded a 50-year Bronze Medal and Certificate to recognize the remarkable achievement of a successful life with insulin-dependent diabetes for half a century or more” from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Massachusetts.  How many people do you know that have done that?  I hope to be an inspiration to every diabetic as well as every person that has to deal with a life-threatening, terminal, disease.

Everyone knows someone with diabetes.

But everyone does NOT know about the Joslin Diabetes Center.   This fact continues to amaze me since the organization was founded in 1952.  The only one of its kind at the time, other organizations have repeatedly bloomed with the same underlying goal – raise money toward research for a cure of diabetes.

With that being said (written), here “are some facts about Joslin Diabetes Center’s Medal Program.  The awards are presented on an ongoing basis to people with diabetes who have been insulin-dependent continuously for at least 25 years.”

“* To date there have been approximately 2,663 50-Year Medals awarded by Joslin Diabetes Center since the program started in 1970.”

“* Since the program began, in addition to the above, over 648 certificates have been awarded to people who have been insulin-dependent for 25 to 49 years.”

“* Joslin Diabetes Center has awarded 50-Yeart medals medals to recipients throughout the world, including individuals from Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South America, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.”  I like to include myself here, as a representative of the United States — California distinctly.

“* [The Joslin Diabetes Center] has awarded 26 distinctive 75-Year medals.  Recipients of this special honor include the following people in the United States: a man from Massachusetts in 1996; a man from Rhode Island  in 1999; a Florida woman in 2001; a Connecticut woman and a Washington state man — both in 2002; a Pennsylvania woman, a Georgia man, a Wisconsin woman, a Virginian man, Indiana woman and New York man in 2003; a New Zealand woman also in 2003; men from Ohio, Massachusetts, New York,and Pennsylvania in 2004; and a woman from Maryland in 2005; men from Massachusetts, New York and a woman from Washington state in 2006.”

You see, there is hope for a long, successful and progressive life with this disease.  But work has to be done.  A commitment to ones’ self has to be made.  The inspiration is you!

For more information about the medal/certificate program, contact:

Joslin Diabetes Center, Medalist Study, One Joslin Place, Boston, MA, 02215

Phone: (617) 713-3481; Fax: (617) 713-3483; E-mail: medalist@joslin.harvard.edu.

Good Luck!