May 3, 2012 (Hollywood, FL) – Tom Karlya is a vice president of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation and has been connected to the organization for well over a decade. But, to the DOC (Diabetes Online Community), he’s known ubiquitously by his pen name, Diabetes Dad. Thousands of people affected by diabetes check in to read his monthly column on dLife and follow his quirky and inspirational posts on Facebook. Now, tens of thousands will read his article, “Just Don’t Do Nothing,” and see a vintage photo of Tom with his daughter, Kaitlyn, as a little girl as it graces the cover of Diabetes Health magazine’s April/May issue.
In the article, Tom first states his connection to diabetes: Kaitlyn was diagnosed with type 1 at age X in 1992; his second of three children, Rob, was diagnosed at age 13 in 2009. He then speaks directly to parents about how to “navigate through the maze of diabetes.”
“The best way to stay ‘fired up’ is to stay informed and, perhaps more importantly, to always realize it’s your child who will be your source of inspiration. Our children achieve the most incredible things,” he writes.
Tom offers advice on how to find friends online and talks about the benefit of the summer camp experience for kids with diabetes. He encourages families to attend the Children With Diabetes annual conference, Friends for Life, in Orlando, FL, slated for July 3-8, 2012. Most importantly, he informs readers about the DRI’s cure-focused mission and makes a push for parents to get involved, or “Don’t Do Nothing,” as he aptly puts it.
In his words, “If you’re unsure about what to do or how to begin, or if you want to know more how you can make a difference, please visit DiabetesResearch.org/DiabetesDad. You can contact me, and I’ll help you get started. Let’s build it together…I’m a diabetes dad.”
Contact:
Lauren Schreier
954-964-4040
lschreier@drif.org