World Diabetes Day 2012.

It's World Diabetes Day! I'll be doing a couple of things today to mark the occassion - want to join me?

• There's a 16 hour World Diabetes Day chat happening on Twitter, beginning at 6:00 am EST and ending with the usual DSMA time slot (from 9:00 pm EST to 10:00 pm EST). 16 hours! 16 topics! 16 moderators! I'm honored to be moderating the 7:00 - 8:00 EST time slot, so tune in for some "Diabetes and History" talk with @YCDTProject; use and follow the hashtag #WDDchat12. And maybe pour yourself a drink, because it's going to be INTENSE.
• If you live in the U.S. and care about T1D, this is super important: the Special Diabetes Program, which provides $150 million annually to the NIH for T1D research, is up for renewal (it's been renewed every two years since 1997) RIGHT NOW. Call your members of Congress TODAY and urge them to vote "yes" on renewing the SDP! Losing this funding would be devastating to T1D research into prevention, treatment and ultimately curing this disease. The folks at JDRF Advocacy are asking all diabetes advocates to call Congress on World Diabetes Day (you can use this brand new website they're launching today to call them - no need to look up phone numbers if you're a JDRF Advocate!) about SDP renewal, so do it!

The Nebraska State Capitol, lit blue the night before World Diabetes Day. Nicely done, us.