This post is a reaction to the broadcast of BBC’s Panorama programme “Diabetes: The Silent Killer” which aired Thursday September 29th. Since the programme aired the makers have issued an apology but I feel that it fell short. They only apologised for one medically incorrect statement. I didn't watch it out of protest of the scare tactics used and the sensationalism, but in hindsight, maybe that was not the best way to protest? However, I am so glad so many members of the diabetes community were wiser that me and watched it, even though it was hugely distressing to them. And they voiced their outrage on social media at the complete misrepresentation of all types of diabetes and the complete disregard for medical facts.
However, what was upsetting to me was the tweets from outside the diabetes community who swallowed every piece of information as truth and responded about how people with type 2 diabetes were such a drain on the economy and tweets like "bad diet = type 2 diabetes". I felt they believed that we are awful people and absolutely didn't deserve any sympathy or help.
But what was more upsetting and heartbreaking were some of the tweets from the type 1 diabetes community, echoing those sentiments. Reading those comments just broke my heart. We are all in this together. All types of diabetes are unrelenting and difficult and suck. Just because you have type 1 diabetes doesn't give you the right to say "other people deserve to get their diabetes but not me, I'm special and deserve sympathy!" Because that's what you are saying Every Single Time you say type 1 diabetes is not caused by a poor diet or lack of exercise.
I believe that getting the type right or being type specific is NOT more important than getting diabetes right!