Category Archive

I was up bright and early this morning, rushing around to get ready for a flight to Brisbane. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, babe,’ I said to Aaron as I was pulling a dress over my head, brushing my teeth and checking to see what time the cab was arriving. ‘I didn’t get you anything.’ This announcement isn’t a symptom of twenty years of marriage; it’s not even because we are disorganised; and it’s not because we don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day (although, to be perfectly honest, before getting involved in #SpareARose, we really didn’t even acknowledge this Hallmark day).

These days, Valentine’s Day is a thing in our house, but purely because we’re all about spared roses and empty vases. And this year, Spare a Rose cookies.

Flowers die, children shouldn’t. It’s tragic that we even have to say that in 2019. But we do. Because there are still parts of the world where a type 1 diabetes diagnosis is a death sentence due to lack of access to insulin, and basic diabetes supplies and education.

If you can, please make a donation to #SpareARose. You money will go to Life for a Child and provide insulin to a child with diabetes. Don’t take my word for why this is important; here is Brandon telling his story and sharing how donations such as those raised as part of #SpareARose have helped him to fulfil his dreams. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Have you noticed how the social media feeds of many folks in the DOC are starting to look a little rosy? It’s a veritable florist out there at the moment, with lots of people talking and sharing information about #SpareARose.

I’m resharing is a recycled vlog from last year where I suggested that we try to get #SpareARose outside of the DOC and into the conscience of a broader audience. Watch my over-caffeinated rantings…and then tell someone about #SpareARose and ask them to donate.

The address for donations is: www.LFACInternational.org/SpareARose

(If this is your first time here, you may be wondering what’s #SpareARose? It’s a campaign that was developed by some pretty amazing advocates from the diabetes online community back in 2013. The idea is simple: send eleven roses instead of twelve to you love this Valentine’s Day and donate the money you saved (about USD$5 / AUD$7) to #SpareARose. Your donation will go directly to Life for a Child and provide a month of life-saving insulin to a child with diabetes. Spare a rose, save a child. Sounds like a pretty special Valentine’s Day gift to me.)