On the fifth day of #NDW I’m shouting #SHOWMEYOURPUMP. Well, maybe not shouting it out to random people – that would be weird – but I’m certainly getting very excited about it.

Last week, the interwebs were on fire with a photo of Bethany Townsend who lives with Crohn’s Disease. Whilst on holiday, she posed in a bikini with her colostomy bags clearly visible. In a campaign of solidarity and Crohn’s awareness, other people with the condition started posting photos online showing their colostomy bags, which are usually hidden away.

Not to be outdone (not that it’s a competition) the diabetes world has our own advocacy queen this week with the newly-crowned Miss Idaho, Sierra Anne Sandison who stood on stage this weekend in a bikini with her insulin pump clipped to her bikini bottoms. Just like that!

And with it came a call for people with diabetes to be just as out and proud by posting photos of themselves with their pump, using the tag #ShowMeYourPump

By last night, the photo of Sierra and her pump had been retweeted nearly 2,000 times and there were hopes that the #ShowMeYourPump tag would trend on Twitter. Today, both my Facebook and Twitter feeds are full of pictures with the tag.

This is an easy, fun and far-reaching advocacy and awareness campaign that (once again) shows how social media can be used for good.

So, for a bit of fun, take a photo of you and your pump. There’s no need to pop on a bikini to do it, but knock yourself out if you want to. For my money, it’s Melbourne black – and far too cold for bikini craziness!

 

Showing our pumps in the office today. #ShowMeYourPump

Showing our pumps in the office today. #ShowMeYourPump

 

Sara from Moments of Wonderful has left a comment below reminding me of this great awareness campaign from a couple of years ago. Pumps and glasses! I thought I’d share it here too.