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Niche networks offer support, community, and connections for those living with diabetes.
If you need further proof that social media is bringing us closer together and improving our quality of life, look no further than Tu Diabetes and Diabetic Connect.
Tu Diabetes
Palo Alto, CA — TuDiabetes.com, a social network for people touched by diabetes dubbed “MySpace on Insulin,” was awarded second place for the Niche Social Network category as part of the 2008 Web 2.0 Awards.
“This award was only possible because of our members,” confided Manny Hernandez, president of Diabetes Hands Foundation and founder of TuDiabetes.com. The social network now has more than 3,000 members taking part in the community. They welcome new members, answer questions others post and share their stories through their blog posts, photos or videos.
The community has grown almost 50 percent in size in the past three months. Members continue to join and connect with others that come mostly from the US, Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia. In spite of the growth, it still feels like one big family as summed up by Mike Campana, one of the members: “… this website has changed my life for the better. I feel as if (the members) are all my extended family.”
Members of TuDiabetes.com are allowed to create their own groups and invite others to join them. Among the most active groups that have been formed are: “Pumping Our Insulin” (with almost 300 members) and “Continuous Glucose Monitor Users,” the top destination on the web for people taking advantage of this novel technology.
Diabetic Connect
From Medical News Today: Alliance Health Networks, a leading online consumer health company, launched DiabeticConnect.com, the first comprehensive and full service social-networking site dedicated to serving the needs of people living with diabetes and connecting them to others who share their lifestyle and daily challenges. Diabetic Connect is a social utility built on a proprietary platform, which enables the sharing of product recommendations, treatment advice and providing support to people who live with diabetes. More than 20 million people in the United States live with diabetes and diabetes-related conditions.
Diabetic Connect: Support and Information to Live a Long Healthy Life with Diabetes
Trusted Community Managers: Internationally known diabetes blogger, Amy Tenderich, and diabetes nutrition researcher, Toma Grubb, manage community discussions on all topics that impact members and the diabetic lifestyle.
Valued Connections with Friends with Diabetes: Diabetic Connect is a private forum for meeting, sharing, supporting, understanding and learning from others who live with diabetes.
Healthy Recipes and Nutrition Information: Enjoying the right foods is a daily concern for people living with diabetes. Diabetic Connect offers hundreds of tasty, healthy recipes that everyone can easily prepare on their own.
Relevant Product Reviews, News, Discussions, Videos and More: Diabetic Connect is built on the shared knowledge and experiences of the community. Members may participate in discussions on medications, devices and treatments that work best, in addition to uploading, viewing or commenting on the latest diabetes news, videos and recommendations.
Savings and Solutions for People Living with Diabetes: Diabetic Connect members have opportunities to receive more information on savings and special offers on a variety of diabetes products. There are no banner ads on Diabetic Connect, giving members the freedom to opt-in for any products and services that interest them.
“I discovered that I had Type 1 diabetes when I was 37, yet there were limited resources for connecting with others and learning about their experiences,” said Amy Tenderich, Community Manager of Diabetic Connect and owner of the influential blog, DiabetesMine.com. “Through Diabetic Connect, I’m proud to help other people with diabetes as well as caregivers find valuable and relevant information to help manage this disease.”
“Diabetic Connect is a breakthrough service for people with diabetes since it serves as both a destination for information needs, and an online community that grows and extends each member’s support network,” said Stead Burwell, Alliance Health’s CEO. “Diabetic Connect represents the future of patient-driven healthcare and how health information is shared online, since it’s a focused social networking site that gives individuals powerful and engaging connections that enrich and support their lives.”
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