Is there a New Way of representing diabetics as a group who are living and achieving, yet challenged?

For a long time the word “cancer” was associated primarily with “victim” or “patient.” Now thanks to medicine and new treatments, we often hear “cancer” associated with “survivor.” Granted, we are still losing too many to the scourge of cancer; and one is too many. I have lost too many great friends to that dreaded disease. Yet, we are often celebrating the “cancer survivor,” while highlighting the need for a cure or cures.

I believe that this change has been largely a combination of changed perceptions, changed attitudes, and the media. While many battle this dreaded disease daily, there does seem to be a surge of hope.

My question is can the diabetic community learn something from this. We not only have many survivors, but many achievers. But I feel many times those achievers are singled out, and they rarely seem to unify as a group. Would that help us, if they did?