SIMCOE COUNTY INSULIN PUMPERS MEETING # 19 May 31, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm We had a total of 26 people attend. As always there were refreshments and snacks. Thanks once again to Zehr's for their kind use of their Community Room! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Note: Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group and it's organizers makes no warranty nor implied warranty for any of the contents and information understood from it's meetings, speakers nor for anything contained within it's correspondence nor opinions expressed herein nor otherwise and does not intend for any information provided by it's presenters or participants at it's meetings and within it's correspondence to supercede in any way any advice from health care professionals. Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group does not endorse any brand, model nor manufacturer of Diabetes Management equipment nor supplies. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In these minutes: - Assistant to MPP Joe Tascona, Simcoe County, Speaks to us. - Bill 55 Updates! See how you can help! - Beckwith Petition to get OHIP coverage for all diabetes management supplies, including pumps, a go! See how you can help. - 2nd Birthday Celebration for Simcoe Insulin Pumpers enjoyed! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ See our (your) website for Simcoe County Insulin Pumpers for meeting information etc.: http://www.insulin-pumpers.ca/SCIP/ Also see the National Insulin Pumpers Canada site: http://www.insulin-pumpers.ca +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ideas, topics, issues for future meetings? email me, Darrin: insulinpumper@sympatico.ca +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SIMCOE COUNTY INSULIN PUMPERS MEETING # 19 May 31, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm We had a total of 26 people attend. As always there were refreshments and snacks. Thanks once again to Zehr's for their kind use of their Community Room! Numerous people attended from many places. We had one couple form Elliot Lake and several new prospective pumpers... +++ Feature Presenter: Denise Hebert - Assistant to MPP Joe Tascona on Bill 55: Denise apologized for Joe not being able to come as planned; he had to fill in for the Speaker of the House until 10:00pm. Denise provided us with a synopsis of Bill 55 and "where it is today". Here's most of wehat she had to tell us: The good news: Bill 55 has been referred to the Social and Justice Committee and it is rare for a private members' Bill to get this far. it has only gotten this far due to the three sides of the House offering 100% support for it during 2nd reading and due to the efforts of all of us pumpers, prospective pumpers and our respective organizations like Hamilton IP, Simcoe County IP, Quinte IP and Insulin Pumpers Canada. The bad news: Government Bills must be dealt with by Committee first. Bill 8 is before Committee now and other Bills cannot be dealt with until Bill 8 is fully dealt with. After Bill 8, there are four other Bills including Bill 55 to deal with. Since Bill 55 is the only of these four Bills with 100% House support it ***probably*** will be dealt with first - but this is no guarantee. If Bill 55 is not dealt with by the end of summer, it may be deferred further by fall Government Bills. Once again, the way ot keep Bill 55 high profile so Committee has more leverage to deal with it first, if at all, is to keep writing articles to the papers, other media, your MPP's. Keep asking your MPP's "where is this Bill"? "What's taking so long"? "This is a matter of life and death"? What can we do? 1. Keep up the calls, faxes, emails and letters to your local MPP (see our web site for links to their names and addresses. Letters are better than emails! 2. Keep Bill 55 high in the media! Don't hesitate to write letters to the editor! 3. Anyone can put i a written submission to the Chair or Clerk of the Social and Justice Committee. Start writing your's now - even if it's a short letter. What wil happen is that Committee wil say something like: "OK, we got 800 written submissions. We are going record them and then select three in person presentations form each group: ie: Insulin Pumpers Canada, Simcoe County IP, Hamilton IP, JDRF, etc. (Paul Beckwith and I are working with teh other groups to set up presentations on behalf of our members. But that's not enough! YOU MUST WRITE your own submission as well! This wil not require you to appear unless you want to.Ê We will email you the information on where to submit your letters ASAP. Denise also offered to table our submissions for us. More info soon. The Federal election may be an import tool in getting Bill 55 passed! Go to the JDRF web site form advocacy: http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=98FC18D6-5004-D739 -A58285400AE24021 and ask your incumbent or others to support Type I Diabetes health care in Canada by asking the Federal G9overnment to add: insulin pumps and supplies to the "Canada Health Act" if elected. Other diabetes issues you wish to have addressed by the Federal Government may also be submitted via the info on the JDRF site. Darrin Parker spoke as to the need Insulin Pumpers Canada sees for the largest Provincial Government in Canada to endorse pump therapy; whether it's by 1% or 100%. "We can always ask for more next year but we have to get a foot in the door first". Paul Beckwith contributed that he's been meeting with other organizations to get assistance in advocating on behalf of our members and this Bill. He cannot say much now but hopes ot have more info for us on this by June meeitng. Most of all, everyone: Keep this Bill high profile! Don;'t let your MPP think it's forgotten! +++ Bill 55: It is far from passing at the Committee level and much can still happen to side-track this Bill! Your continued support is needed! Petition to have OHIP cover the full costs of insulin pumps, supplies and diabetes supplies: Katelyn kindly volunteered to be at the Barrie JDRF Walk on Sunday, June 6th to collect signatures on the Petition! THANKS Katleyn. Your efforts are very important! If anyone can join Katelyn at the JDRF Walk to get signatures; please download the petition and print it (see below) and help out! Registration starts at 8:30 am at Heritage Park. For more info: http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=walk.walkView&event_id=9E66FF31-01F5- 89A4-4985245A973737EB& chapter_id=1013 A couple attended from Eliot Lake and presented Pal with over 150 signatures! THANKS! It now appears that this Petition will be a key weapon in getting Bill 55 passed! Please download copies from our web site and send them back to Paul: Extra copies of this petition available for you to pick up at our meetings or by contacting Paul: p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca or by going to the Simcoe County website and downloading it for printing. More in June. +++ General Discussions followed: Many one on one disussions and Birthday cake were enjoyed by many. we had ot postpone the draw for prizes until June as we ran out of time! Here are some topics discussed: - The new Disetronic Tender Mini was presented and discussed - Various adhesives for making sets stick to the skin during physical activity: "Stomahesive, SkinTac and NuSkin are some that work well. It was reported that Stomahesive is only available locally at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Bayfield St., North in Barrie. - Numerous questions were answered form some prospective type I and type II pumpers. See ya in June! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEXT MEETING: NOTE LOCATION:ÊÊ Zehr's NORTH END Community Room, 472 Bayfield St., North, Barrie. MONDAY, June 14, 2004 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please feel free to volunteer your own special talent to this growing group! Drop me or Paul an email if you want to help, out for a few minutes a month! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Please spread the word about your group! Ideas, topics, issues for future meetings? CONTACT: Darrin Parker: insulinpumper@sympatico.ca Paul Beckwith: p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca Website: http://www.insulin-pumpers.ca/SCIP/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Note: Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group and it's organizers makes no warranty nor implied warranty for any of the contents and information understood from it's meetings, speakers nor for anything contained within it's correspondence nor opinions expressed herein nor otherwise and does not intend for any information provided by it's presenters or participants at it's meetings and within it's correspondence to supercede in any way any advice from health care professionals. Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group does not endorse any brand, model nor manufacturer of Diabetes Management equipment nor supplies.