What is TuDiabetes®?
I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in late 2002. Since then, life was never the same until I started wearing a pump in the summer of 2005. The pump restored a lot of the freedom I had already gotten used to being without by giving me more control and flexibility and allowing me to accomplish blood glucose control like I hadn’t seen since before I was diagnosed.
In 2006, I was made aware of an Insulin Pumpers group in Orlando (where I live) and I started to attend their meetings. The first meeting was such a changing experience for me, that it helped me realize the power of a community when it comes down to a condition like Diabetes. I learned in an hour more than I had learned in a year of pumping and what I picked up from those pump veterans, I still use today to accomplish even greater control.
Towards the end of 2006, a thought started brewing in my head: the idea of making Social Networks work for things beyond making friends and socializing. I wondered how I could put Social Networking to the service of a higher cause. An article in the New York Times gave me the spark I needed: I had it in front of me the entire time, yet I hadn’t put 2 and 2 together until that "Aha!" moment. I had to get a Social Network for people with diabetes going.
Since then, I set out to identify the best technology to do the job and in March 2007 I eventually landed on Ning.com, which is the platform that now hosts TuDiabetes.com®. Today, TuDiabetes.com® is an Online Community where the members help each other out, educate ourselves and share the steps we take every day to stay healthy while living with this very serious condition. As of the day of this post, we are approaching 400 members and growing. One of the members (dLife columnist Scott Johnson) has said about the community: “It's like 'MySpace' on insulin...". In TuDiabetes.com®, we write blog posts, exchange ideas in discussion forums, share photos of ourselves and our loved ones and videos that we find useful and informative.
It is my hope that people who have all types of diabetes, newly diagnosed and veterans alike, moms with gestational diabetes as well as parents of children with diabetes, no matter the ethnicity or nationality, come on board and engage in a fruitful exchange using all the media that the social network technology puts at our disposal.
And in case you are wondering about the name in Spanish, my wife thought of it and it made sense to me right away. First, because I am Hispanic, but also because it’s a bit of a wordplay: Tu as in "Your" but also Tu, with a sound similar to "Too" (you too have diabetes) because we are ALL affected by it directly or indirectly.
Here is a short video talking a bit more about my reasons for founding TuDiabetes.com®:
In 2006, I was made aware of an Insulin Pumpers group in Orlando (where I live) and I started to attend their meetings. The first meeting was such a changing experience for me, that it helped me realize the power of a community when it comes down to a condition like Diabetes. I learned in an hour more than I had learned in a year of pumping and what I picked up from those pump veterans, I still use today to accomplish even greater control.
Towards the end of 2006, a thought started brewing in my head: the idea of making Social Networks work for things beyond making friends and socializing. I wondered how I could put Social Networking to the service of a higher cause. An article in the New York Times gave me the spark I needed: I had it in front of me the entire time, yet I hadn’t put 2 and 2 together until that "Aha!" moment. I had to get a Social Network for people with diabetes going.
Since then, I set out to identify the best technology to do the job and in March 2007 I eventually landed on Ning.com, which is the platform that now hosts TuDiabetes.com®. Today, TuDiabetes.com® is an Online Community where the members help each other out, educate ourselves and share the steps we take every day to stay healthy while living with this very serious condition. As of the day of this post, we are approaching 400 members and growing. One of the members (dLife columnist Scott Johnson) has said about the community: “It's like 'MySpace' on insulin...". In TuDiabetes.com®, we write blog posts, exchange ideas in discussion forums, share photos of ourselves and our loved ones and videos that we find useful and informative.
It is my hope that people who have all types of diabetes, newly diagnosed and veterans alike, moms with gestational diabetes as well as parents of children with diabetes, no matter the ethnicity or nationality, come on board and engage in a fruitful exchange using all the media that the social network technology puts at our disposal.
And in case you are wondering about the name in Spanish, my wife thought of it and it made sense to me right away. First, because I am Hispanic, but also because it’s a bit of a wordplay: Tu as in "Your" but also Tu, with a sound similar to "Too" (you too have diabetes) because we are ALL affected by it directly or indirectly.
Here is a short video talking a bit more about my reasons for founding TuDiabetes.com®:
Add a Comment
-
Comment by Vonna Anthony on July 8, 2008 at 6:53pm - when I first saw this site I was like "YES! finally something for latino diabetics" pero ahora....I see its not all like that but hey..I still think I'm gonna like this site=).
-
Comment by Denise on May 23, 2008 at 1:49pm - Tu diabetes.com===safe haven in an unsafe world!
-
Comment by Jenny on May 23, 2008 at 1:37pm - I always thought "Your" in the possessive was 'sus' Oh, well no wonder I got a "B" in Spanish
-
Comment by Chyrisse Arnold on January 25, 2008 at 1:18pm - Hi, I just joined the group. My 7 yr. old daughter was dx'd type 1 at age 4. I agree with Travis, my husband is from El Salvador and he has become more successful in this country than alot of his peers because the first thing he did when he came here was learn english and that is what he tells everyone when they complain about how hard everything is for them. It really does keep people back.
-
Comment by Daena on July 8, 2007 at 7:10am - hey, i got the first part of the word 'tu'. i know a couple of words in spanish, courtesy of a uni mate who took spanish classes last semester. but the 'tu' as 'too' part is pretty darn cool. i like that!
-
Comment by Crystalee on July 8, 2007 at 12:13am
- I discovered this site while searching for pictures about diabtes in flikr.com. I saw the tudiabetes.com button manny made on his flickr account. I decided to check it out. I am also hispanic so the fact the it was in spanish also caught my eye. I really enjoy this site. I started a yahoo group for local alaskan diabetics and I have a link to this site, my discription is "myspace for diabetics. thanks for making this possible Manny!!
-
Comment by Travis Grubbs on June 20, 2007 at 4:41am -
Andreina: I agree that the Hispanic-American community should be reached concerning diabetes, etc. I am torn regarding an all spanish section. I wish our hispanic community would make learning english a high priority.
My wife is the Immigration Specialist at our local university, and she used to work with the intensive english program. She cars deeply for the international students, advises them on their class schedules, and assists them with thier immigration paper work, holds their hands (when needed), etc.
In my work, as a home inspector, I have come in contact with hispanic workers on construction sites. I have seen workers mistreated and they could not report the abuse due to the english barrier. Miscommunication has also resulted causing construction defects because of the english barrier.
I have seen churches and other groups offer free english classes for hispanics on weekends and evenings, but they appear to be poorly attended. This is unfortuanate because knowing the english language gives hispanics more power in our society.
-
Comment by Andreina Davila on June 15, 2007 at 7:42am - Also, diabetes is growing very fast in the Hispanic-American community. It is a reason for concern. I wish we can, with time, have a complete section in spanish and be able to reach this segment of the population that also needs lots of support and information.
Spread the word
Follow Us
Our Other Programs
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Most Popular Pages
- Topics and Videos
- Blood glucose meters
- Average Diabetic Readings
- A1C Readings
- Grams of Carbs per Meal
- Which CGM is more accurate
- Omnipod Review
- Animas Ping or Cozmore
- Famous people with diabetes
- Sugar Free Cheesecake
- iPhone Diabetes Applications
- Online Blood Glucose Tracking tools
- 62 Years Of Type 1 Diabetes
- Diabetes Categories
- Recipes for Diabetics
- Type 2 Diabetes Forum
- Type 1 Diabetes Forum
- Insulin Pumpers Forum
- LADA: Type 1.5 Diabetes Forum
- Diabetes Groups
- Insulin Pumpers Group
- Continuous Glucose Monitor - CGM Users
- Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor Users
- Byetta Users Forum
- Raw Food Diabetics
- Deltec Cozmo Insulin Pump Users
- Animas Insulin Pump Users
- Symlin Users Forum
TuDiabetes Team
 Manny Hernandez |
 Andreina Davila |
 MelissaBL |
 Kristin |
 Scott |
 Teena Swager |
Welcome Committee
Content Committee
DHF Ambassadors
© 2009 Created by Diabetes Hands Foundation, P.O. Box 9421, Berkeley, CA 94709.
Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations to DHF are eligible to be deducted.
Disclaimer
The contents of TuDiabetes is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, including without limitation diabetes. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on TuDiabetes.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. The Diabetes Hands Foundation does not endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, services, procedures, opinions, or other information that are advertised or mentioned on the web site.
TuDiabetes®, TuDiabetes.org®, Word in Your Hand™, Drawing Diabetes™, Diabetes Supplies Art™ and No-Sugar Added Poetry™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
You need to be a member of TuDiabetes - A Community for People Touched by Diabetes to add comments!
Join this social network