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		2012 Friends for Life Report - Comments	Jump to a new section --[ Getting Around ]-- Home Page What's New Privacy Policy Search --[ People ]-- Family Support Network Adults with Diabetes Care Photos Chat Rooms Conferences Kids with Diabetes Parents Parent Humor Scholarships and Financial Aid Grandparents Humorous Tidbits Jobs Mailing Lists CWD Forums Poetry and Art Videos Polls Quilt for Life Surveys Blogs --[ Clinic ]-- Ask the Diabetes Team Alternate Site Testing Alternative Treatments Care Suggestions CWD Español Diabetes Basics Diabetes at School 504 Plans Diabetes Camps Diabetes Dictionary Insulin Pumps Nutrition Podcasts Presentations Products Product Marketplace Sports Studies Warning Signs --[ Sources ]-- News and Information Diabetes Advocacy Links to Other Web Sites Press Releases Regional Information Services Support Groups --[ Feedback ]-- About CWD Advertise Awards Contribute Your Experiences Disclaimer Letters to the Editor Logos and Linking Share our Brochures

Selected comments from families who attended FFL 2012:

• I realize once again (for like the millionth time) how thankful and lucky I was to attend CWDFFL 2012. And how so many other CWDs and adults with type 1 and their families NEED and MUST attend. Thank you both so much for creating such an amazing, healing and life changing event. - Kelly
• As for my daughter, this was the first time she has agreed to go to anything diabetes. I’m happy to report that when she came out of her first group session she had a smile on her face and a friend by her side. That was the best gift any mom could receive. – Keri
• We just wanted to take the opportunity to tell you what an incredibly positive impact Friends for Life had on our entire family. We found it educational, informative, uplifting, inspiring, fun, emotional, energizing ... I could go on and on. The best part about it was the fantastic people we met. From Joe Solowiejcyzk who sat with us at the First Timers conference and really reached out to us, to Jay Hewitt who was our daughter's favorite celebrity, to all the other families we met and spoke with, we cannot overstate what a positive experience it was to interact with such amazing individuals. - Lesley
• FFL is my annual way to "recharge my batteries", I leave there feeling so motivated and prepared to deal with whatever diabetes throws at me. I end up calling my mom and gushing about all of the amazing experiences that I have there, so she will now be coming next year to experience it as well! - Christina
• No matter how many times we attend CWD events we always learn something new and leave feeling "refreshed" in our battle to make sure our daughter’s life is as healthy as possible. Thank you. – Dana
• I cried tears of laughter as much as tears of sadness. – Randy
• FFL was so much more than I ever expected. The knowledge, compassion, expertise, lodging, amount of people were amazing! I learned more in 5 days than I learned in the past 5 years. – Lisa
• Conference was wonderful, as always! Seeing everyone, getting and giving all those FFL Hugs - can hardly wait for next year! Grandparents want and need to be educated about diabetes. How do we get more grandparents involved in FFL? – Midge
• The kids just have a great time and they leave with the message that is reinforced at every turn...../*you can do anything you want with diabetes*/. The energy is positive and strong. - Georgia
• This was our third FFL (actually my second, as in 2010 I was deployed with the Army but my wife and son were there with you guys); as always the experience of FFL lived up to be again, the best week of the year. I spent some time crying during Jeff's opening message, now that I also have a daughter, his words really touched me, and I guess I could only find relief committing right now to never letting her start dating ... Friends for Life has really touched our lives. – Manuel
• Thurday Night banquet- decorations, atmosphere and DJs are fabulous. I love the way the DJs model the dances on the stage for the kids. It is a great way to get the kids out on the dance floor. The kids also really enjoyed the decathlon; it was a great addition this year. – Alison
• I just wanted to say "Thanks!" for all of the time that you and your team put into the conference! This was our first time attending, as our daughter was diagnosed just one year ago! I loved hearing the history of the conference and how it came to be. It was so helpful for our daughter to see that indeed, there are other people who have Type 1 Diabetes! - Amanda
• I enjoyed every moment of volunteering. Thank you for the opportunity to do this! To experience these conferences gives me energy and strength to come back here and do even more. – Brandy
• Thanks for putting together such a wonderful conference this year, I had a great time. The Young Adult reception with the casino setup was brilliant, everyone loved it and had a great time. I also think that the college age dinner beforehand was a good idea because it gave us a chance to connect with one another. Ollie Double was fantastic!! I don’t think many of us have laughed that hard in ages!! – Chelsea
• I could not be more complimentary of this group of individuals (youth program staff). – Sandy
• As 1st timers I just want to say we LOVED it - ALL of it ! We actually felt " normal" again - well at least like we BELONG somewhere among people who " get it". Thank you ! – Susan
• We had an incredible week and will plan to attend every year now. The entire event is amazing and the staff was wonderful! Thank you for all that you do to provide this experience...in the midst of all the negatives associated with diabetes, Friends for Life is truly a life-changing positive. – Colleen
• It was our first FFL and we are hooked. I saw so many changes in my daughter, peer influence is amazing. After seeing everyone wearing their pumps without hiding them, she now doesn't care if people see it. She is less self-conscious. Thanks for everything! (Neither I nor her Doctor could tell her anything, It had to come from her new friends.) – Kristi
• Our exhibitors and sponsors are so important to making FFL a success. We really appreciate the unique, conference-friendly spirit they bring to this event. We made new friends for life this year, and met a lot of 'old' ones. We leave Orlando, as always, the better for it. – Ash
• We found the programming to be outstanding and well organized, we found the environment welcoming, and we came away with a lot of helpful information and insights. And we are planning to attend next year. – Lisa
• First of all: THANK YOU to the CWD team for such a wonderful conference! It was my very first, and definitely not my last. I hope to bring my husband and at least one of my parents next year to attend as well. It was an incredibly meaningful and special experience-- one of the best diabetes events that I have had in my 25 year diabetes career. I'm excited to watch this conference grow 'as an adult.' I know that there will be programming for children for years to come-- both newly diagnosed and children who have had this condition for years-- but, I am excited, and appreciative, that you are all thinking about programming and support that both younger and older adults need. – Kate
• The adult T1 night was phenomenally fun! I appreciated the plethora of fruits and veggies available at meals, and the venue was very nice. The conference was just amazing overall, and I'm already longing for next summer! – Kim
• As both a first-time attendee and a first-time exhibitor, I couldn't be more pleased with my experience. I really can't imagine the amount of work and planning that's involved in satisfying do many different groups/needs, and making it look so seamless, but I really tip my hat to you all; it was very impressive. Your staff was extremely helpful and friendly, as was that of the hotel.
• We are so grateful for all the work that all of the organizers do to make the event so special every year. It's always an amazing experience, and we all deeply appreciate the commitment of time and talent it takes to create such a meaningful conference every year! – John
• The boys loved Sports Central and the quilt scavenger hunt. Thank you for the fabulous gift of community, support and knowledge you gave our family. – Marianna
• As newly diagnosed parents, this was a truly eye opening conference and we learned more in these three days than we have learned since we left the hospital in April. I am anxiously awaiting the 2013 conference agenda, so we can start planning our trip and coordinating with our 4 kids. – Marilyn
• As always - being part of the Family of CWD is the most precious gift I and we as a team can receive. – Dr. Ben
• I came home feeling a hole where my FFL heart had been...I miss you guys already. – Peter
• My husband and I have hope, happiness and comfort going forward on our journey with a child with type 1. - Ria
• I thank you soooo much for your efforts to make a wonderful event possible and give these kids (and adults) a place to be just another person. It’s not just the child with diabetes that feels normal but also the siblings that can talk to other siblings and know that the way they feel is 100% normal. – Janet
• Everyone was very welcoming and friendly. The conference felt like coming home and we haven't felt this supported since our daughter was diagnosed. My husband also felt it was incredibly valuable as an adult with Type 1 too. – Tamara
• Once again thanks for making our lives better with your guidance, support and love! – Cindy
• We are currently driving home after spending a week with a group of people who we had never seen before but are now looking forward to seeing again next year. We had no idea what we were walking into when we arrived. This was a grand learning experience for us. Our 16 year son was just diagnosed. I am happy to report that we learned more about T1D in just a few short days than we did the in the 3 months since the awful day when we carried him, unconscious, into the emergency room. We are happy to have found this fraternal group you have assembled and we are looking forward to next years conference. I know that this was a monumental task and from our prospective it was done flawlessly. Kudos to you and your staff. – Jeff
• I loved the food selections - protein, vegetables, and fruits in large quantities with breads and desserts in perfect small portions! Excellent Job to Mike!! – Stephanie
• As our kids said, we thought we were mainly coming for Disney and then the conference, but the conference was "BETTER THAN DISNEY and Disney was just icing on the cake." (Now THAT'S amazing coming from kids!) Our 10 year old got SO much out of this. We saw a huge change in him - really moving towards independence and empowerment. He was a different kid by the end. Our younger son (age 6) said that being with sisters and brothers of kids with diabetes was the first time he was with everybody who understood him. And we adults learned so much from the amazing lecturers (we went to the ones on science: artificial pancreas, from toddlers to teens, everything but insulin, DIR update, etc) that we are armed with a whole new outlook for dealing with his T1D. – Frances

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Last Updated: Monday September 17, 2012 09:31:23
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