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hi,

I've just joined this list after having been recommended to it from another

list.

I was wondering where the members who are on this list mostly live, and if

there are any Australians on this list?

I have been trying to convince the Diabetes organisations in Australia to

start a mailing list, but so far I have not convinced them of the need for

it. They occasionally have a chat room for 2 hours, but as a blind diabetic

I cannot participate in this, due to them being screen reader inaccessible.

I always feel there is so much information and questions to be answered and

shared through a mailing list. Would the many Australian diabetics I know

benefit from joining this list? Should I pass the details onto our national

magazine and diabetic youth groups?

I have also just successfully convinced the Diabetes organisation in my

state to establish Australia's first Diabetic Retinopathy support group.

Does anyone know if these groups exist elsewhere?

I am also lobbying for the introduction of a subsidy scheme for talking

blood glucose monitors in my state...we only have had a talking monitor

available in Australia for the last 2 months, and since it is very

expensive, only those in the states where they receive a subsidy can afford

them..unfortunately I am not in one of these states. Has anyone on this list

lobbied for these sort of things, and any tips on how to be successful?

Before you think I am going on too much, one final question. I am on the

waiting list to have a kidney/pancreas transplant...has anyone had one of

these and do they have any advice? I'm both excited and scared about

this...but overall the thought of not being diabetic any more is the

weirdest...I am diabetic since age 10 and am now 35. I can't imagine picking

up a normal can of soft drink without feeling guilty or hypo!

Thanks,

Janelle