I just got the official heads-up about the launch of something the JDRF has been cooking up behind the scenes for some time: a new social networking site for young adults with Type 1 diabetes called Juvenation.org. Check it out, and join the beta!
The site leader and moderator is our very own Gina Capone of the DiabetesTalkFest. Wow, that girl gets around!
The site looks pretty amazing with a full forum, media area, and blogs, and also a variety of “groups” tailored to different interests. If you can’t find a group that you want, you can of course create your own.
Note: The site is now in beta testing mode and still under construction over the next couple of weeks. So if you come across an occasional bug, you can let the team know in a group called site bugs.
I’m not exactly sure what the cut-off age is for “young adults,” btw. Present company surely excluded. Also, the JDRF claims that this is “the first ever online destination geared toward Young Adults with Type 1 diabetes,” which isn’t exactly the case. There’s also YoungDiabetics.org, a pretty nice little community in its own right.
Anyway, good for the JDRF for finally embracing some adults — maybe they’ll get to us 30+ Type 1s next.
Arrrrrrgh, seriously! Where are the sites (besides this fine one) for the adult-adult type 1s?
actually Erin, diabetestalkfest.com has been geared toward 20-60 somethings since its launch in 2001.
This seems kind of silly. Who needs yet another social network? What need does this meet if there are these other sites already?
I find it interesting to have type I diabetes (I was diagnosed just before my 11th birthday in 1958) and find that web sites for type I are aimed for younger (of course that’s where most type I’s are) people while the sites for older persons with diabetes are aimed at type 2′s (again most people over 45 are diagnosed with type 2 and type 2 describes the majority of those in that age group). What is worse is that research connected older adults and diabetes studies treatment in the context of type 2. For example, the benefit of a statin in diabetes was done on type 2′s. So even though an lldl without treatment is less than 110 and triglycerides are low, based on the type 2 research a statin is recommended for older type 1′s. The problem is treating conditions based on research in a group that is similar, but not really the same — Many type 2′s have insulin resistence while many if not most type 1′s don’t.
Wow! That site looks great! I’ve become a bigger and bigger fan of Facebook over the past year or so, but a diabetes focused network would really hit the mark.
However, it really would make sense to put this effort into building out our presence on FB (like DL said). With everyone on FB, why build out a new social network?
I’m a bit confused as to who this network is targeted towards. On the one hand you say it’s geared towards young adults, but then when one goes to the site there are some recognizable names from the other sites like TuDiabetes who are above 30 years of age. So does that mean it’s for everyone with Type 1?
It’d be wonderful if all these networks could merge into one. With every new network popping up there seems to be an overlap of the same members joining.
Yet again us adults with Type 1 are being ignored in favour of the kids. It’s as if kids grow out of diabetes — turn 19, and either you’re cured of diabetes or it turns into Type 1.