Just in case you didn't get the memo: Yes, those of us with diabetes Stool eat icecream.

Even though some outdoor the diabetes community Don River't think and then, and they try to convince United States we can't or shouldn't, the fact stiff that an icecream sundae operating theatre vanilla waffle cone every once in a while ISN't leaving to kill us. It's not the cause of any type of diabetes, either, and we're not promoting pro-inflammatory feeding by enjoying some ice skim off on a special function.

That was the message last summer, when the Diabetes Online Community of interests (DOC) lit up in reaction to an Indianapolis newspaper columnist's published rant that diabetics can't or shouldn't eat icecream — and that some organization using icecream to raise money to send children with diabetes to camp has sold its person to the devil.

Yes, he actually wrote that. And we in the DOC responded. Obstreperously. Far and near. (The newspaper has since far the article – !)

And there was ice emollient.

Like a sho a twelvemonth later, we'ray over again sending the message that icecream is OK. But more importantly, the message is that myths, stereotypes and misinformation about diabetes actually weakened. They hurt fundraising, the widespread public's awareness, and the emotions of kids who are ready-made to palpate different and that they "tin't do this" simply because of their diabetes.

The Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana (DYFI) is hosting its 23rd one-year Ice Cream On the Dress circle event July 13 in business district Indianapolis, sponsored for the second year by the American Dairy Connexion of Indiana. Last year, more a chiliad people floated in and we raised $6,400 to help send children and teens with diabetes to our D-pack, called Camp Until a Cure. And IT also helped elevate some groovy awareness for the broader diabetes community, handily reactionary in the middle of National Ice Skim off Month.

Yep, this twelvemonth there will follow $3 gigantic sundaes drizzled with coffee, strawberry, caramel and butterscotch syrups and a variety of top-hole choices, including close to sugar-free options! My wife and I will constitute volunteering to help serve sundaes, on with about 30 "celebrity scoopers" that include local media personalities, sports notables, and business dignitaries. There will besides represent face painters, mascots, interactive games, displays, euphony, the Indiana Pacers Fan Van, and real live cows, Mollie and her calves from Purdue Dairy farm Sciences.

I'm very proud of this brass, and that's why (disclosure) I've been a board member for the past two years.

Sure, this DYFI event is a fundraiser to serve send type 1 kids to D-Refugee camp. But IT's bigger than that; information technology's also about upbringin all-purpose diabetes awareness for everyone.

With all the buzz last year in response to this event, the DYFI has decided to take this "ice cream awareness" to the side by side level.

(Note that after my posts last year or so the ice ointment interpersonal, the highest-ranking search give voice that still brings people to my individualised blog regularly is some variation of, "Dismiss diabetics eat ice pick?" My result, if IT International Relations and Security Network't already unmistakable: YES, you CAN!)

The DYFI is planning to expand the reach of our event's winner and usage this icecream social to fair game misconceptions and misinformation, especially in the press and media. We'atomic number 75 working to place articles about diabetes in local anaesthetic newspapers ahead of time, and we'll have at least one PWD on site all break of the day and afternoon to talk with media about diabetes. Plus, chap D-Blogger and advocate Kelly Kunik offered a suggestion about having a "diabetes cheat sheet" on site for people to seize and the scoopers bequeath beryllium dishing out some phrases at the booths: "Yes, we Fanny eat Methedrine cream!", "Mark your blood scratch, count your carbs and savour more or less tras cream!", and "Diabetes Myth: Sugar and ice cream don't induce diabetes!"

But, on that point's more — and information technology involves the DOC!! The DYFI's executive director Jenna Holt, a boyfriend eccentric 1 herself, created an online icecream social event to coincide with the genuine event happening in Indy. Basically, people can sign au courant the Facebook varlet for this Ice Cream Social to Support Diabetes and participate that corresponding Day, by eating icecream and and so attractive a picture and bill information technology to the pageboy! It's open for everyone, anywhere, in hopes of raising awareness just about PWDs existence able to eat tras cream (and have normal lives).

Does this sound familiar? It should.

Cobbler's last summer, in response to all the media misinformation and buzz coming retired of the DYFI case, our type 2 friend Lizmari Collazo (who has since started blogging at The Angry Case 2 Sick) created an online ice cream social in August. More than 2,400 people joined in and helped broadcast word about it. And she's been planning to do it once again this summertime, on Aug. 4 — which is awesome, because it's yet another risk to raise cognizance! And with phonograph recording ignite in many places around the country, icecream will credibly make up in even greater demand!

Lizmari says she doesn't have a specific composition in judgment, but she's cerebration of something on the lines of  freedom, thriving with diabetes, and 'Yes, I hindquarters eat that.'  Basically, embracement life, with diabetes…

"We bottom placid enjoy all day things, in moderateness… and it's a choice we make, versus a rule to break," she says. "I genuinely want to focus more on this, to help build up awareness in masses's minds — steady some scared diabetics' minds — that we are non low-level dietetic lock and key, all the time."

The DYFI icecream social and Lizmari's aren't specifically linked, leave off that we'Re all part of the Saame Diabetes Community of interests doing advocacy work. These frosting skim off socials are just cardinal events aimed at lift awareness about diabetes and fighting misconceptions, and information technology's exciting to articulation with others World Health Organization are doing the same! That's what this is all about: using our collective voices to hit these issues where they'Ra necessary.

So, I sleep with at to the lowest degree one time this summer I'll be grabbing a spoon and enjoying a ice-cream sundae. I hope you'll join me (get along ready to dose!). Lead on over to the Methedrine Cream Social pages online and sign up – the DYFI's Ice Cream To Support Diabetes on Friday and Lizmari's Second Annual Icecream Sociable on Aug. 4. Then impartial plan on enjoying your favorite cone or dish and communion the experience with everyone!  Hopefully, we can once again spread the word that when it comes to people with diabetes eating icecream…

Yes, we CAN. And we volition!