Medical ID Jewelry

These days, Doug Burns is a modern Sampson. The reigning Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health. Of the skinny little boy with type 1 who used to work out in the woods alone, all that remains are a wry sense of humor and an attractively self-deprecating manner. They’re unexpected in a man who’s triumphed in the uber-masculine world of bodybuilding, but there’s a lot that’s unexpected about Doug Burns.

21 comments - Sep 22, 2008 -

The exhibit hall at this year's Children with Diabetes conference in Orlando, Florida, from July 23 to 27, 2008, featured expensive and elaborate booths from well-known companies like LifeScan and large organizations such as the American Diabetes Association. But another kind of company also welcomed people to their booths. They were the diabetes start-ups, companies that were started more often than not because of an intimate connection to the world of diabetes. I spoke to representatives of five of these companies about their products, their mission, and their inspiration.

3 comments - Aug 28, 2008 -

You might think that having a disease is the last thing you would want broadcast over the World Wide Web. But for some writers, getting the word out there is the main idea. In a world inundated with celebrity gossip and angst-ridden posts, a few people rise above the online mess and use their blogs to foster a sense of community in what could otherwise be an isolating dilemma: living with diabetes.

5 comments - Jul 24, 2008 -

Before diabetes, I was a normal teenager whose greatest worry was whether I’d get an A or a B on a test. I was strong and healthy. Somehow, I took for granted all the freedoms that diabetes took away from me. Last year, at the age of fifteen, I learned that every day, even every breath, that we are given is a true gift.

2 comments - Jul 24, 2008 -

Having a health issue that requires precautions shouldn't mean the world has to know about it. Your health matters are private, but in times of a car accident or other emergency, they must be made public. “Lauren’s Hope” is a line of contemporary, interchangeable medical ID bracelets for anyone living with a health ailment or undergoing medical treatment that calls for an ID to be worn at all times.

0 comments - Jun 12, 2008 -

Just between you and me, in all my years with diabetes (thirty-five and a half to be exact) I've never worn a medic alert bracelet. While I'm no fashionista, I don't like the way they look, and I don't like the reference I make in my head - "damaged goods." Then, too, just to be clear, I've never (yet) had an incident where I needed one.

3 comments - Oct 4, 2007 -

Beaded Daisy owner Regan King, who has two kids with diabetes, started her company when her ten-year-old son couldn't find a non-traditional medical ID that he liked. Beaded Daisy makes medical ID bracelets and necklaces to fill that need at affordable prices.

1 comment - Jul 18, 2007 -

Diabetes Health magazine recently had the pleasure of interviewing Doug Burns for a lengthy feature.  He is a well-spoken and forthcoming man with a good sense of humor and an easy-going manner. Altogether, he comes across as a very nice person. On Sunday, however, Doug Burns was severely beaten by police during an episode of low blood sugar that occurred at a movie theater in Redwood City, California.

6 comments - Apr 3, 2007 -

Wearing medical identification can provide emergency medical workers with potentially life-saving information if you are in an accident or end up in an emergency room.

0 comments - Dec 1, 2003 -

If you are careful—and lucky—it's possible that you will never end up in the emergency room. Many people with a chronic medical condition such as diabetes prefer to hope for this best-case scenario rather than wear visible medical ID.

0 comments - Jan 1, 2002 -