Posted by Laura Gilbert on October 17, 1997 at 20:04:36:
In Reply to: Re: Define Your Health Care Now! posted by Cherie on October 17, 1997 at 12:18:28:
I am appalled also! Why do we have to choose either/or? Before I say anything else, I want to say that my statement is in no way meant to be a general doctor bashing statement. I am grateful we have doctors that devote their lives to researching a particular disease like diabetes. The future quality of my children's physical life depends very much on these doctors work. As all parents know, we would take this disease onto ourselves, we would take on anything to allow our children to be free of diabetes and it's dark future of complications. So, yes, I am completely thankful for those doctors that are sincerely committed to finding a cure for diabetes. Having said that, IT IS NOT UP TO DOCTORS TO DECIDE WHAT WE, WHO LIVE WITH THIS DISEASE DAILY, SHOULD FOCUS OUR HOPE ON. I am incredibly frustrated with this attitude. As I have seen posted several times on this forum, the push for a cure has only helped people with diabetes gain better control so that a cure can be fully beneficial.
As far as prevention and cure go, we simply must have more $'s so that both lines of research can benefit. Many people expressed this view on an earlier thread on this forum. I have two daughters with diabetes and a third child w/out it. My second daughter developed diabetes before we got our results from the Diabetes Prevention Trial. And we acted quickly on the initial testing. I would give anything to see my daughters "cured" of diabetes. But I would give just as much to see my other child not develop it. Again why should we choose either/or. I will write this doctor also.