A few months ago, AADE had a contest where members could submit a short essay telling them why we do what we do. What makes us want to be diabetes educators? At the time of the contest, I thought briefly about the topic and never really got any further than "I like my job. I'm happy with what I do." Obviously, that's not really enough to put into an essay, but at the time I didn't feel like diving any further into it.
A couple weeks ago, I approached an organization about starting a partnership for diabetes education. They told me they recently asked all their staff to take a moment to think about why they do what they do - what motivates them on a daily basis to come into work and try to make a difference. Because I was proposing a partnership between myself and this organization, they asked me to also write up a brief summary of my "why." After thinking about it for some time, I thought I would share what I submitted to this organization with all of you as fellow diabetes educators. We all have reasons for doing our job - things that extend far beyond just getting a paycheck or health insurance - although those things are important, they aren't usually a strong enough pull to keep us coming into the office day after day.
I would also like to task all of you with Finding Your Why. What makes you tick? What makes you want to be a diabetes educator? What makes you want to change people's lives? Below is mine. What's yours?
Find Your Why
Every day, we have to provide ourselves with a reason to get out of bed – a motivator to convince ourselves what we do is important, and we are the only ones who can do it. I’m sure, at some point, all of us have taken a hard look at our career and questioned if we made the right choice. While I’ve always felt very strongly I am on the right path and feel satisfied with my career, my “why” hit me like a semi-truck last spring, with the death of a second-grader.
I am a Hy-Vee dietitian and certified diabetes educator. I have two bachelor’s degrees, eight years of college and almost 27 years of personal experience managing diabetes. Before deciding on a career in health and wellness, I was an elementary teacher. Last May, my 7-year-old cousin died from complications of type 1 diabetes (called diabetic ketoacidosis). Like me, she was diagnosed with diabetes at a very young age and didn’t remember a life outside of finger pokes, carbohydrate counting and doctor appointments. Diabetes didn’t allow her the opportunity to explore a life outside of these things. Her spunk and outgoingness were cut short, decades too soon.
Upon her death, I was sucker-punched with emotions – anger, guilt, remorse, sadness. I found myself face down in my pillow asking “Why?” to no one in particular. Questions without answers raced through my head. How does this happen? Why her? Why hasn’t this happened to me? How does the world keep spinning after the death of a child? What can I do to prevent this from happening again?
Unintentionally, I found my “why” in the depths of grief and a mouthful of bed sheets. Chronic conditions can be very difficult for anyone to manage – let alone children. While my cousin’s death was not preventable, I realized I have the power to educate people so this doesn’t have to happen again. Her death brought about a renewed sense of purpose in me. In order to prevent this from recurring, I have to educate. I have to educate the educators – the ones who spend hours a day, face-to-face with students with diabetes.
Teachers are tasked with not only educating our students but keeping them safe and healthy in their learning environment. Take a moment to honestly ask yourself: What do I know about type 1 diabetes? What do I know about managing the care of a student with diabetes in my classroom? My “why” is to take the burden of these questions off your shoulders and provide you with the tools and resources you need to keep your students safe and help them learn in a structured environment, without the worry of blood sugar management crowding their minds. You spend several hours a day with these students and are the first to notice a change in their demeanor and attitude. Knowing what these changes mean and how to respond enables you to take quick action to save a child’s life.
My “why” is to ensure the health and safety of all students with diabetes to prevent another death. Every morning, I roll out of bed with a picture of a little 7-year-old girl in my head. She lived with diabetes and tackled it bravely every day of her short, little life. She died, but others don’t have to. My “why” is going out into the community, into the schools, and providing the tools and education to ensure her passing was not in vain. She died so I can help others live.
My “why” was only 7-years-old but helps me live every day of my life with determination, passion and purpose.
Have you found your why?