The Corner Booth

Like everything else in 2020, the biggest diabetes conference of the year was anything but normal. The American Diabetes Association's 80th annual Scientific Sessions were, for the first time ever, held completely online as a sprawling, fast-paced, virtual streaming experience. Thousands of medical professionals from across the globe tuned in for the five-day event, June 12 through 16, many in casual clothes rather than professional conference attire — from their kitchens, living rooms, and home offices with curious kids, home decor, and pets popping in occasionally. So it goes in 2020, as the world navigates the ripple effects of a global pandemic that's catapulted us into virtual business and telehealth mode. The SciSessions have been held as a huge in-person gathering consecutively since the org's founding in June 1940, with the single exception during World War II when the conference was not held. "There was a lot of trepidation about what this yea...

The beloved book series “ The Baby-Sitters Club ” is back in the spotlight, with a new Netflix series airing in July 2020 that will breathe new life to this set of stories first published in the 1980s. It's a charming tale of friends who form a babysitter's club for their small, fictional town in Connecticut. Many people with diabetes feel a personal connection to this series because one of the main characters is club treasurer Stacey McGill, who is depicted as living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The series, written by  Ann M. Martin , spanned  217 novels  between 1986 and 2000. There was also a  1995 movie  and a short-lived Disney series. Now, with a new Netflix series premiering July 3, 2020, the character of Stacey will be played by young actress Shay Rudolph. She's released a fun introductory YouTube clip where she reads aloud a section from the pivotal "The Truth About Stacey" book. Many women living with diabetes have commented on how ...

Alan Arnfield wasn’t looking for fame, but he received ample press attention after participating in a recent White House announcement on major changes to Medicare insulin pricing caps. The upstate New Yorker with type 2 diabetes (T2D) says he simply responded to an email seeking comment about Medicare beneficiaries struggling to afford insulin. That led to a short video that played during a May 26, 2020, briefing by President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden, as part of the announcement of a new $35 insulin copay cap for certain Medicare plans starting in 2021. There's been a lot of excitement about this move marking an end to skyrocketing insulin prices, which have led to a crisis for many patients , and even some deaths. But of course, this initial price cap is limited to a specific group of seniors. “For me on Medicare’s Part D prescription plan, this will result in savings," says 68-year-old Arnfield. But he's still concerned about his two adult sons living...