Why am I so excited about Joe Solo coming to Thrive-abetes?

I know that I am at risk of putting you all to sleep if I mention Friends for Life (FFL) UK again but I can’t stop talking about it.

One of the best things that happened was bumping into my insulin pump trainer in the corridor at FFL. After the usual how are you doing, what the hell are you doing in the UK? She hits me with "Are you going to run a conference like this in Ireland (she really knows how I work:-) and have you met Joe?"

I, of course, did not behave anything like a grown up would, but she insisted on introducing me and my friend, Christine to him. Within 60 seconds she had asked him if he would speak at our conference. It really pays to have good people in your corner!!

Who the hell is this Joe fella?

Myself and Christine had the pleasure of having him join us for lunch the next day. That was another fantastic thing about the FFL conference, everybody had lunch together, nobody sat alone, the healthcare professionals and families mixed socially. 

Anyway, we talked about how in my house I may be the one with diabetes but we all live with it. We talked about how children with diabetes do so much better with it emotionally when the family are a team. He even gave me a couple of pointers on how to perform my basal rate tests!

Joe is Joe Solowiejczyk, it’s a name I can never repeat or remember how to spell. Thankfully, he has made it easier for the world to talk about him by shortening it to Joe Solo. Joe is a registered nurse, diabetes educator and family therapist. He’s worked with families with diabetes for decades and he has lived with type 1 diabetes for 50+ years himself.

Joe works extensively with both patients and professionals on the Family-Approach to Diabetes Management. He works with paediatric patients and their families to help them cope with their child's diagnosis and daily challenge of living with diabetes. He designs educational and counselling programs for both children and adults with diabetes.

His ebook "A Type 1 Guide to the Universe"  introduces a new way to learn to thrive with diabetes. It is the first book to integrate the psychological and emotional aspects of dealing with diabetes into the core of its approach.

Joe is scheduled to open our conference with a keynote presentation. Plus present "Staying Motivated to take care of you diabetes, every day" to our Type 1 Adults group and chair a panel of Parents of children with diabetes.



I have included a couple of video links of Joe's talks on this link if you would like to know more about him.

Last chance to win!

As you may already know we organised a fund raiser raffle with a Signed 2014 Six Nations Irish rugby shirt up for grabs and other FANTASTIC prizes. 

There is just one more week to snap up the remaining few raffle tickets. Buy your raffle tickets  online on this page. Raffle tickets cost €5 per ticket. 

The raffle draw takes place on Saturday 30th May.

1st Prize: A SIGNED 2014 Six Nations Ireland rugby shirt! 

2nd Prize: Two nights B&B for two people in Friar's Lodge Guest House, Kinsale, Co. Cork. 

3rd Prize: Another Two nights B&B for two people in Friar's Lodge Guest House, Kinsale, Co. Cork. 

4th Prize: €60 voucher for Ticketmaster. 

Good luck!

Latest Update from Thrive-abetes

As you may already know we organised a fund raiser raffle with a Signed 2014 Six Nations Irish rugby shirt up for grabs and other FANTASTIC prizes. We are doing reasonably well with our ticket sales, with only 14 books of 10 tickets left to send out to any volunteer sellers out there.

We offered people who sell two books of 10 tickets a free Thrive-abetes conference ticket, worth €35, as a reward.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to sell 20 tickets, send me an email at thriveabetes@gmail.com with your address and I will get them to you as soon as possible.

The raffle draw takes place on Saturday 30th May and ticket stubs need to be returned by May 25th.

You can also buy raffle tickets online on this page. Raffle tickets cost €5 per ticket. 

In other news: 

We have confirmed a speaker from JDRF UK.
We have added another exhibitor.
Our next phase of planning will be to open registration for the conference, which we are hoping to do in early June.

Onwards and Upwards!

Our 4th Confirmed Speaker; Dr Kevin Moore

I am thrilled to announce that we have confirmed our fourth speaker. Dr Kevin Moore, Clinical Director of Naas Hospital and consultant endocrinologist in Tallaght Hospital, will be joining us at Thrive-abetes.

Kevin has been making occasional guest appearances at the Type 1 Diabetes Support group meetings in Dublin for a number of years. I feel that it says a lot when a group keeps asking you to return.

He works tirelessly to improve the life of patients with diabetes and those with chronic endocrine disorders. Dr. Moore is a strong advocate for healthy lifestyle with chronic conditions. He has undertaken a number of activities with patients, including climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, participating in triathlons and 5-10Km runs. He regularly gives voluntary patient education talks throughout Ireland, including at the Type 1 diabetes support group for adults in Dublin.

Kevin graduated with an honours medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1996. In 2005 he completed the Irish Specialist Registrar Training Scheme (SpR) in Diabetes, Endocrinology and General Internal Medicine. He then travelled to America where he undertook a Fellowship in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. which is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest hospitals.

He returned to Ireland 2007 and took up a post in Naas General Hospital and Tallaght Hospital as a Consultant Endocrinologist where he continues to work today.

Into 2011, he became chairman of the Diabetes section of the Irish Endocrine Society, having been secretary of the same committee since 2008. He previously served as the chair of the Professional Services Committee of The Diabetes Federation of Ireland.

“I am really excited to be involved in Thrive-abetes.  Education is key to success in type 1 diabetes and Thrive-diabetes will provide patients with what they need in order to take control of their condition. I hope that this will be the first of many Thrive-abetes conferences.”

Welcome aboard, Dr. Moore!