Devices & Diagnostics

#ShowMeYourPump is diabetes education at its best

I have a friend whose son is very allergic to peanuts, so much so that he can’t eat any food processed on the same machines as peanuts. To make sure he can have a treat during birthday celebrations at school, my friend keeps special donuts in the freezer. They are frozen, allergen-free and rather expensive […]

By on July 22, 2014

I have a friend whose son is very allergic to peanuts, so much so that he can’t eat any food processed on the same machines as peanuts. To make sure he can have a treat during birthday celebrations at school, my friend keeps special donuts in the freezer. They are frozen, allergen-free and rather expensive by the half dozen.

This 9-year-old’s classmates liked the donuts so much that they all wanted to have one on his birthday. His mom was glad to spend $60 for donuts for the party. The frozen, peanut-free donuts are not a weird thing required by a health problem, they are simply what her son has for a treat at school.

This process of normalization is what struck me about the #ShowMeYourPump meme on Twitter. Thanks to this social media sharing, insulin pumps are not some uncomfortable medical device kept under wraps. The devices are simply what some people need to live a healthy life.

The new Miss Idaho started this campaign. Sierra Sandison wore her pump on stage during the bathing suit competition for Miss Idaho. She was diagnosed with type 1 adult-onset diabetes in 2012.

There were Instagram posts and Facebook shares as well. The story made it to the Today show as well as E! and even Medtronic chimed in.

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