[Diabetes-Talk] Access to insulin pumps for blind and low vision users

[Patricia Maddix]

I was recently asked by the advocacy chairman of the Oregon and Southwest Washington chapter of JDRF to take part in a 30 minute phone call with The representative from our district to the United States house of representatives.  I was asked to tell my story about living with diabetes which I have done for 59 years and then we also discussed the need to get extended funding for the Special diabetes program that the government has been funding for years but requires renewal frequently and runs out in March, the high cost of insulin, and any possible financial assistance for nonprofit organizations that have been devastated during the pandemic. The Congress woman was extremely open and supportive of our causes and will support Special diabetes program as well as trying to get the cost of insulin reduced. She supports the effort of buying insulin from Canada which is perfectly safe but where the cost of insulin is 1/3 to half of what it is in this country. In my presentation I also drew her attention to the fact that the newer insulin pumps will only have touchscreen capabilities and will not be accessible to the blind. She was absolutely horrified to hear this She of course uses all kinds of technology and states that it must be a fairly simple thing to either get an insulin pump to have talking capabilities or to have an app developed so that the pump could be controlled from a smart phone or similar device. She was also amazed to hear that for example the med Tronic pump cannot be upgraded or updated like the new tandem pumps When its new software becomes available and you’re then stuck with that pump for five years until you can get a newer model. She stated that it didn’t seem like the pump industry was keeping up with the direction that most other technology is going. I certainly doubt that there is really anything she can do about these issues but she meets and talks to a lot of powerful people and she may from time to time mentioned that she talk to our group and learn these facts and get other people with influence interested in our plight.  her term of office is up this year and I certainly hope she is able to get reelected in November but she is running a really hot race with the other person that is nominated.  This situation just dropped into my lap and I was so delighted and wish that we could get a lot more exposure like this and someday it might hit the media.
Patricia

Sent from my iPhone

Sent from my iPhone