Posted by Al Gordon on February 27, 2000 at 21:28:30:
In Reply to: Re: Peaceful Protest--San Antonio posted by Therese B. on February 27, 2000 at 21:07:22:
Therese,
Good luck with presenting your case. In my experience, these conventions are about 1/100 the size of the Consumer Electronics Show or COMDEX. There are maybe a dozen booths and the same number of posters. You should be able to deliver your message.
I think the important thing is to have hard numbers at your fingertips that show that ADA is taking donors' money on the basis of finding a cure, and then spending it on everything but finding a cure. Have a look at the ADA Research Portfolio of a couple of years ago. Their strategy speaks for itself.
You could also quote from ADA's Diabetes Spectrum (Vol 12, Number 4, pages 195-6) which says:
"The new millennium is a perfect time fore reflection. Maybe we need to change the emphasis from "cure" to "care," to use "holistic management" rather than "blood glucose control,", and to focus on the benefits of control, rather than on treatment and control itself. Helping health professionals and people with diabetes find ways to cope may be as important as striving for optimal control."
This is the mission statement of a group who is terrified at the prospect of a cure, and wants to shift the emphasis to care, much to the joy of the doctors, dieticians, educators, clinics, and drug companies that it appears to represent. I doubt if many ADA donors would want to see their money spent in this manner.
The above quote was posted by Maureen in a very interesting thread on ADA. You may pick up some good points here.
Also, Sandra Silvestri and others make some pointed observations about ADA in the thread on ADA's Scientific Sessions.
Good luck!
Al